If I Was Your Pretend Boyfriend, I'd Never Let You Go
by MakingFrenchFriesInTheSnow
Summary: A newly single NYU junior brings her friend, an in-a-relationship NYU senior, to Hawaii for vacation with her family as her [pretend] boyfriend. As the vacation progresses, two's fake romance turns into a real one. [M in later chapters for possible smut]
1. I Can Be Your Gentleman

**A/N: Clare and Adam met in high school, and Clare and Eli met in college. **

**In this fanfic, Darcy and Peter got married when she moved back home to Toronto from Kenya. **

**And Jake did not date Clare because he had no reason to since she had not known Eli. **

**everyone's pretty much around 20 in this story (except Helen and Glen).**

* * *

**CHAPTER ONE - I CAN BE YOUR GENTLEMAN**

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

I enter the lobby of my apartment building after another depressing day at my job. I work as a store clerk at a Victoria's Secret department downtown. It's not the best job in the world considering I allow myself to let plus-sized women buy underwear that are definitely not their sizes, am constantly harassed to "try things on" for men, and am forced to stare at large posters of beautiful woman - who are way better looking than I - posing in lingerie on their curvy, yet sculpted bodies.

_Bleh_. I hate it all. But it's not the worst thing; at least I get a discount on all the stuff there. Perfumes, lotions, and lingerie - not as if ever I'll wear it. I mean, I don't have anyone to wear it for anymore. I had a boyfriend, Jackson...but'll get into that later. So my job, it's just someway to pay off the bills of my apartment - very temporary (Thank God).

I saunter over, then into the elevator and quickly jab the number 5 button with my index finger. The two metal doors are closing when a black boot rushes in between the them and they shoot back open. I observe as Eli Goldsworthy and his boots stride into the elevator with me. The doors shut and now I am now in an enclosed area with him. He gives me a smirk and I say, "Hey Eli."

"Hey Clare." He responds.

Eli is my neighbor and (some what) my friend. I don't really know. We met through Adam, but we're not really friend-friends. We don't have seemingly unstoppable talkative conversations like I have with Adam, or he has with Adam. We're maybe just a "hello" here and there and that's it. He lives across the hall from me in an apartment he shares with Adam. And he also attends school at New York University with us - Adam and I; he, a newly turned senior, and Adam and I, newly turned juniors.

Eli and I stand in silence until the doors slide open when we stop at the 5th floor. He and I step out and we walk down the hall to our separate apartments. "So Clare," Eli sighs, pulling out his keys from his jean pockets. "How was work?"

Searching through my purse for my keys, I answer, "It was long and boring." I snatch out my keys. "Same as yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that." Eli chuckles lightly and I ask, "How 'bout you?"

"Ehh," he rejoins, shaking his hand slightly to show that it was okay. Eli works at a Starbucks down the street. Sometimes I think that he and I should trade jobs. I 'd love to be employed at a coffee shop, with its sweet aroma of freshly brewed coffee, and it's relaxed and busy people; and I'm sure that he would gladly like to stare at women try on bras all day. Even though he already has a girlfriend, I know he wouldn't mind just glancing, but his girlfriend would. She'd be super pissed.

Eli and I both arrive at our doors. We say our goodbyes, even though we both know that I'd be over their house in an hour or so. I spend more time in their apartment than I do in my own. I open my apartment door and crouch down to pick up to the small bound stack off mail set on the floor which the mailman shoved through my mail slot earlier today. I grab it and shut my door. I flip through the envelopes._ Bill, bill, catalog, and another bill. _I stroll to my room, passing the coffee table in my living room and tossing the mail down on it.

I go to my room, pick out a white t-shirt and a pair of black jeans, then go to take a shower. After I get out the shower and I change, I start my route to Adam and Eli's.

...

I sit on a black leather chair in Adam and Eli's apartment's livingroom with my legs kicked over one of the arms, eating sweet and sour pork and rice out of a carton. We all had ordered chinese food and delivered to their apartment. Our eyes are fixated on the tv screen, which is displaying a football game, and our mouths are being occupied by the stuffing of chinese food in them.

Ring! Ring! My phone buzzes in my back pocket. I set my carton of food down onto their coffee table and I fish my phone out of my pocket. It's my mom. I answer the phone. "Hello."

_"Hey Clarebear," My mother greets me._

"Hey Mom, what you doing?"

_"Uh, nothing much, Sweetie; but I just got done transferring the money into your account so you can buy the plane tickets for our family vacation." _

Aw man, I totally forgot about the "Martin-Edwards" family vacation that we take every year during the summer. This year my mother and Glen had set up for all of us to travel to Hawaii for a week. I slide my hand down my face and groan, "Mom, I blanked on that. I have to call into work and tell them that I'll be gone for a while."

_She giggles, "Yeah, Honey, they'll let you take a vaca. So, just buy the tickets and make sure you leave on Friday. Oh, and I didn't want you to feel lonely and left being around Glen and I, and Peter and Darcy, and Jake and Vivian; so I put enough money in for you to bring that boyfriend of yours, too. Jackson. _

My heart stops when I hear the name "Jackson". I had not actually told my mother that Jackson and I's broke up, too afraid that my singleness would worry her. But I guess I should notify her now. "Mom, I need to tell you something,"" I whisper as I stand up from the chair and start walking to Adams room, somewhere private.

**(Eli's POV)**

I watch as Clare rises from her seat and whisper, "I need to tell you something" to her mom. When she had answered the phone and began chatting with her mom about going out of town, there was a pause, and Clare's facial expression turned to one of sadness. Like her mom had said something that had upset her. And that's when she got up.

I wonder what had upset her...

"Wooo!" Adam shouts, startling me. "Dude, did you see that?" Adam asks, pointing to the television, where one of the Packers football players is doing a little shuffle in the opposite end zone. I nod to Adam, then shrug it off, still worried about Clare.

"Be right back," I say to Adam, getting up from the couch. He tells me to "hurry back" and I ignore him.

I follow in the path that I had seen Clare had taken and I find her in Adam's room. The door is cracked open enough to see her and still be undetected. I peek in to see her sitting on the bed, on the phone, arguing with her mother. "Ma, we broke up three months ago," I hear her say sharply. She must be talking about Jackson. I continue to listen. "...No, I did not ruin our relationship. Why are you saying that?!"

_Did her mother just accuse her of wrecking her relationship with Jackson? because if so, that is far from the truth._

I remember Clare coming to our apartment a mess, because of that Jackson guy. I had known Jackson from around campus, he was in the same grade as I, and I had heard he was a bit of a player, but I had not been the one to inform Clare of his. For one, I had not known Clare like Adam had, so I had no right to try to butt into her and Jackson's relationship.

But from what Clare had told us when she came to our apartment that night was, that she had found out that Jackson was cheating on her with some other girl at our school, because Clare wouldn't have sex with him. She broke up with him, but said she really didn't want to - she had loved him deeply. Clare was at a low; she was even about to call him, apologize, and tell him that she would have sex with him if that was if he wanted. But luckily, Adam had stopped her by taking her phone away from her for a week til; she cooled herself down had regained her center.

Clare eventually got over Jackson, but informed Adam (and I) that he would still call her occasionally and apologize and ask for a second chance, saying he would wait until she was ready. Clare didn't give in.

Clare continues her conversation with her mother, "... Having a boyfriend is not all that is important in this world, Mom...What the-...No, I don't want you to set me up with Darien from church, I don't even remember him...I don't care!...No, Mom, I'm not going to have a million cats. You sound retarded right now...Mom, I'm sorry, but it's true...Stop yelling please."

Okay, I've had enough. Clare is crying now. I cannot sit back and watch her be tortured any further. I burst into the room, causing Clare to jump. She wipes her eyes and covers the speaker of her phone. "What are you doing in here?" Clare hisses.

I jog up to her and hold out my hand. "Give me the phone."

"No." she gasps, pulling the phone closer to her chest.

I roll my eyes and swiftly snatch it from her hands. I place the phone up to my ear. "Hello, Mrs. Edwards."

Clare whacks my arm. "It's Mrs. Martin, now, you idiot." she shoots.

"Oh my bad. Hello Mrs. Martin?"

_"Hello, Who is this? What happened to Clar_e_? " Mrs. Martin questions, sounding a bit angry. _Now I know why this woman had Clare in tears, her voice was wicked sounding.

"Uhm, I'm Elijah Goldsworthy, and Clare is sitting right here next to me."

_"Are you one of her friends?"_

"You can say that; I'm her boyfriend." I lie, and after I say that, Clare gives me an odd look. Like _why are you lying to my mom?_ I put a finger up to my mouth, telling her to stay quiet.

_"Really?" Mrs. Martin squeals, sounding happy, yet confused._

"Yes, Mrs. Martin. Clare and I were just friends, had having a mutual friend, Adam. So after Clare and Jackson broke up, Clare and I started talking; we sort of gravitated towards each other. She's a very sweet and beautiful girl, and I like her very much...Oh and I also have no idea why she's never mentioned me to you; I'm starting to think I'm not as important to her as I thought I was."

_"You're funny, Elijah," Mrs. Martin laughs. "Can you please put my daughter on the phone?"_

I smirk confidently at Clare and hand her the phone. She speaks, "Yes Mom?...Um, yeah...Uhh, okay...Love you...Bye."

Clare hangs up the phone and stares at me bewildered. "She wants you to come, come on our family vacation in Jackson's place."

"Cool," I say, "I could really use a vacation. When are we leaving?"

"No-no-no-no-no...Eli, why would you do that? Why would you lie to my mom like that? You can't come. What about Julia?"

I sigh and answer all of her questions. "I did not like the way your mom was making you cry; you didn't deserve that considering that asshole, Jackson, cheated on you. You had to do what was best and your mom does not know the whole story. And I lied to get her off of your case, If I said I was your boyfriend, she'd stop badgering you for a while. And as for Julia, she's in Italy with her family for a while. She wont know. You and I'll just go with your family, have fun, and come back, and things will go back to normal."

Clare shrugs, "I guess.."

I smile, "Great. So where we and the _fam_ going anyways?"

"Glen and my mom said that we're going to Hawaii for a week."

"Well I guess I need to bring swim trunks and lots of sunscreen."

Clare giggles.

...

Clare and I exit Adam's bedroom and resume in our old sitting positions and finish eating our food, then Adam asks, "What were you two doing?"

"Nothing much," I answer. "But Clare's my girlfriend now."

"What!" Adam blurts in shock.

* * *

**I don't know why I have a habit of creating stories before others are finished. **

**I JUST combined chapters 1 & 2.**

**Well review :p**

**-MFFITS**


	2. A Bikini & Inner Feelings

**CHAPTER TWO - A BIKINI & INNER FEELINGS**

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

I extend my arm out, stretch over closer to Eli, and smack his arm; he winces as my hand whips his skin. He gently stokes the spot where I had wounded with the opposite arm's hand. I glance at Adam who is obviously still in shock - you can tell by his facial expression. "Calm down Adam," I demand, then tell him, "We're not going out."

I then begin to explain to him everything that had happened: my mother yelling at me on the phone about ruining relationship with Jackson; Eli coming in and convincing her that he was my current boyfriend; my mom insisting that he come on the trip with us and our family. Everything.

As I wrap up the situation to Adam, he nods his head slowly, showing that he had obtained the information that was being given. His head shifts over to Eli and he questions, "So you're going?...with Clare and her family?...as her boyfriend?"

"Yeah...I guess." Eli answers unsurely.

Adam begins to burst with laughter. "Good luck with that, Dumbass,"

...

The next day (Thursday), I'm at work, standing behind the check-out desk bagging a pink lace bra and matching panties for the young woman whom had just purchased them. "Here you go, Ma'am." I smile, handing her the bag. She accepts it and walks out of the store. Once she's exiting the door, I let out a deep sigh and I turn around, now facing the counter behind me. I begin to fold all the older, discarded clothing items that lay scattered on the counter; people either didn't want them, or couldn't buy them at the time.

As I fold, Cassadee, one of my co-workers who has the same shift as me, starts to tap me vigorously. "OMG Clare, turn around," she squeaks, "hottie alert, coming through the front door." I giggle and turn around to behold Eli strutting into the store. My giggling ceases. "_Not a hottie; just Eli."_ I comment mentally.

Around me, I notice as the woman in the store immediately straighten up their postures and shoot flirty smiles at Eli. He smirks.

I have seen this before...

Anytime Eli, Adam and I would hang out - I figured this out the first time I hung out with Eli and Adam - women in our area would gravitate to Eli, or try to get his attention some way; accidental bumps to the shoulder; coming up and asking him random question(s); bending over purposely in front of him, hopping that he'd stare at their ass; etc.,.

Yes, I had to admit, Eli was very attractive, but not worth losing your dignity over. Unlike other girls (whores), I did not simply fling myself at him, I was subtle and I just became his friend. Plus, looks mean nothing to me if you do not have a good personality to go with it. But in Eli's case personality was not the problem. When I had come to know him well, I had discovered that he was not only good-looking, but smart, funny, creative - and recently, a really good friend.

But other than having a check for good looks and a good personality, I just don't think that I had ever liked him as more. In my eyes, I just saw him as Adam and I's friend. Anyways, even if I did have some sort of "feelings" for him, it wouldn't matter because Eli always had a girlfriend. And currently, he does.

Julia.

Eli approaches the check-desk and I joke to him, "Eli, you're such a panty dropper,"

He smirks, "Whatever, Clare."

Suddenly, Cassadee rockets up beside me. "Hey Clare, you didn't tell me he was your friend; aren't you going to introduce us?" She give me a slight nudge, desperately demanding me to help her make herself known to Eli.

I roll my eyes and introduce the two. "Eli, this is Cassadee, my co-worker. And Cassadee, this is Eli, my friend." The two reach their hands out and shake when Eli corrects me. "Boyfriend," he states, and I spot Cassadee's smile change quickly to a grimace.

Cassadee quickly lets go of Eli's hand as if it is on fire and says, "Um, I am going to go , uh, rearrange the perfume counter. Yeah. Bye Eli, Clare." She mutters my name as if I'm that one girl from high school who she swore she's always hold a grudge on for some reason.

As she strolls away, Eli raises his eyebrows. "What was up with that?" He questions and I shrug, even though I know that it was because of him. He had pronounced himself as my "boyfriend" and Cassadee must've just gotten jealous.

"Well then," he sighs, plopping a Swimwear Anywhere shopping bag on the desk, a bag in which I had not notice him walk in with. He sifts through the bag. "I bought myself: three swim trunks, a bottle of sunscreen, and a hat." He pulls a straw fedora out of the bag and flaunts it, smiling.

"What, nothin' for me?"

"Oh yeah, I did buy you a lil' somethin' somethin'." Eli puts the fedora back into the carrier and jerks out a purple and white, stripped bikini. "Wala," he screeches, displaying it in front of me.

"You know you do have a girlfriend, right?" I remind him, still staring at the swimwear he had picked out for me.

Eli nods, "Yeah. I have two now. And I want them both to look the best they can."

"Whatever," I scoff. "Well I bought the plane tickets earlier today; they're for 12 p.m., tomorrow."

"Cool," Eli responds, "well I guess I should finish the rest of my packing."

"You're serious about this, aren't you? You're actually going to come."

"Yes I am. I'm your friend Clare. I'd help you out with anything, no matter what."

I reach over the counter and thank Eli with a warm hug. "You're a great friend, Eli." I whisper.

"I know," he whispers back.

...

**(Eli's pov)**

I return back to my apartment and find Adam slumped on the couch watching a basketball game. "Who's winnin'?" I inquire, glancing at the screen.

"Heat," He rejoins flatly. I sit down next to him and set the Swimwear Anywhere shopping bag down beside my feet. "What's in the bag?" Adam asks, snatching the bag and pulling out the bikini I bought for Clare. He gives me and the suit an odd look. "Should I be worried?"

I shake my head. "Nah. I just bought that for Clare as a joke."

Adam purses his lip. "Mhmm. _As a joke_?"

"Why'd you say it like that? _As a joke_."

"Dude, come on. I know you really bought this because you secretly want to see her in it. Bikinis are the same as lingerie. If you buy lingerie for a girl, you expect for her to wear it for you, same goes for bathing suits. And apparently, you picked something out obviously on the sexy rack."

"No," I deny nervously, "I j-just picked a bathing suit out randomly."

"Whatever Eli, I know your antics. And I don't blame you. Clare is adorable, and she has really grown up to become very...sexy." I raise my eyebrows. "But don't misunderstand me! I cannot even think about Clare sexually; she's like practically my sister. But you on the other hand, I don't know what you're envisioning in that sick, little head of yours, and trust me I don't want to kno-"

"I'm not thinking anything of Clare." I deny again. Which is a big fat lie.

_Honesty time!_

I may be true that I had always sort of had a "thing" for Clare, but it never seemed like she had felt the same, so I'd just pushed whatever I had felt for her aside, and continued to do my thing. I'm not a player (or an asshole) like Jackson is, but I do get around, but I stick to one woman at a time, and one woman only. And right now, my heart belongs to Julia.

Suddenly, "Danger: Wildman" sounds and I wrench my phone out of my pocket. Julia's face flashes on my screen. She's calling. "That the Mrs?" Adam questions jokingly and I nod.

I answer my phone. "Hey Julez."

_"Hey Baby," Julia chimes, "what are you doing?"_

"Nothing much, just chillin' with Adam. You?"

_"Um I just got back to the hotel from a day shopping with my Ma and Dad. I really wished my parents had bought another ticket. You and me would've had so much fun."_

"Yeah."

_"Well are your plans for the week?"_

I pause for a second.

"Nothing," I lie. "Just gonna work and hang with Adam. The usual."

_"Oh."_

I couldn't tell Julia what I was really doing this week. _"Hey Julia. This weekend, I'm just going to go on a vacation with my attractive female friend that I may still like and her family. Oh and I'm going as her boyfriend."_

No! I definitely could not tell her that.

_"Well I have to go, Elijah. I love you."_

"I love you, too, Julia." I respond then hang up the phone. Adam's glaring at me.

"Mm, mm, mm." He hums crossing his arms.

* * *

**A/N: BBBB. I was so frustrated, I lost most of my work for this, but luckily, I had it saved on my phone.**

**But I'm still pissy though.**

**Well it was a shorter chapter.**

**Review, or GTFO.**

**-MFFITS ^-^**


	3. You, Me, On The Way To Hawaii

**A/N: NO SCHOOL! ^-^ **

**i LOVE you guys so freaking much for following and reviewing...it means a lot to me for people to enjoy my stories so thank you!**

**Oh and I've never been on a plane so my Dad told me what it's like.**

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE - YOU, ME, ON THE WAY TO HAWAII**

* * *

**(Eli's POV)**

The next morning, I am awoken by a knock on our apartment door. I ignore the knock the first time, hoping that Adam would answer the door, but I suddenly remember that Adam goes to work at 6 a.m. and judging by the sunlight shining through my bedroom window, it was clearly passed that time. I groan as another knock is put forth onto the door. I slowly roll off of my and exit out of my room. I yawn as I pass through the doorway and begin making my way to the front door, which is still being beaten on.

"I'm comin', I'm comin'," I repeat annoyed.

"Hurry up!" I hear Clare's voice say loudly from the other side of the door. My eyes widen. _Oh shit!_ Me and her were supposed to be leaving today at 12, and I have no idea what time it is. I must've had let myself sleep in too long.

Last night Adam and I sort of got into an argument. Well I wouldn't really call it an "argument, more like a very heated discussion in which Adam had tried to tell me how I felt. How I felt about Clare. When I would deny having any sort of feelings besides friendship-ish ones, his suspicions seem to grow even more, and his accusations got more stern. He'd say things like: _"You like Clare", "I've noticed you staring at her before", "I'm totally going to tell her", "You lying sack of shit, tell the truth for once"._

Sure Adam was right about me liking Clare, but there was no way in hell that would I let him hold that over me. So I denied even more, but he still wouldn't seem to believe me when I said that there was nothing between Clare and I - which there wasn't. Yes, I "like" her, but it's obvious that she doesn't feel the same.

No mutual feelings.

No connection.

Just friendship.

That's it. And in this week, I don't think I'm going to be expressing feeling to Clare just for a chance to be shot down.

**(Clare's POV)**

I have been waiting outside Eli and Adam's door, knocking, and praying that Eli would come and answer quickly. Finally, the door flies open and there Eli stands messy haired and bare bodied except for the pair of grey sweat pants on.

I ignore how _appealing_ he looks right now and rush passed him into the apartment. "Why aren't you ready?! It's freaking 10 a.m!" I look down at my phone and read the current time. "Well 9:57! And you're still not dressed. Do you know how long it's going to take us to wait for you to get yourself together, get a cab, drive through traffic - which is probably jammed right now -, get to the airport, get passed airport security, and catch our flight in time!"

"Woah, woah, woah," Eli chuckles, then steadies his hands on my shoulders. "Calm yourself, Clare. Why are you yelling?"

I shake my head slightly. "I...I don't know. I-I guess I'm just a little bit nervous."

"Clearly." Eli smirks.

"I mean, what if my parents don't believe it? Don't believe _us_? What if they find out that I was lying about this whole thing. God...that'd be so humiliating."

"Yeah it would be," Eli agrees "but that's not going to happen. They _will_ believe us. Now we're going to catch the flight _on time_, go meet your folks in Hawaii, have a good time, and they're going to love me."

"Just like everyone else does." I say aloud, letting my inner comment somehow slip out.

Eli smiles, "Right. Now I'm going to go take a quick shower, get dressed, and then, we'll go."

I nod and he let's go of my shoulders. He goes back into his room and I take a seat down on the couch and wait.

...

It takes Eli 28 minutes to complete his tasks of taking a shower, getting dressed, brushing his teeth, and eating a Toaster Struddle.

He throws on his leather jacket and I look at him oddly. "We're going to Hawaii. Wear that, and you'll burn up."

"Gosh you sound like a mom more than a girlfriend ," he rebuttals. "Oh and the jacket is all part of my style...so I don't really care if I burn up in it. At least I'll be hot in both ways: looks and tempature."

"You're very conceited, you know that?"

"Nah, I just think very highly of mysself."

I roll my eyes. "Whatever. Let's just go; I don't wanna be late," I check the time again. "10:27. So roughly a little over an hour to get to the airport." I begin strolling out the apartment and glance back to see Eli carrying his suitcase out the door behind me and I suddenly remember, I had forgotten my case in my apartment. I swiftly reach into my pocket for my keys, yank them out, and unlock my front door. Once opened, I spot my suitcase sitting by the coffee table in my living room where I had left it earlier. I jog over to it, extend it's handle, and roll it out the door.

Eli smirks as I come out the door. "Gee Clare, it's," He looks down at his fake wristwatch. "it's 10:29! We'll never make it in time!" he teases. I don't respond to his attempt to make fun of me, I just give him a soft push and he flashes me a smile.

We walk ourselves down the hallway and to the elevator. He hits the down arrow and the doors open. "You first m'lady." He says sweetly and jokingly. I enter into the elevator with him following behind. I quickly tap the lobby button and the doors close.

...

Eli and I finally arrive at JFK Airport after spending at least 45 minutes in a cab with each other. A ride in which I was jittery the whole time - flat-out nervous! Eli had tried to soothe me, telling me that _"everything's gonna be alright"_ and _"it's just a week"._ Yes, his words comforted me for a few minutes, but I ultimately knew that everything was not going to be alright if my family found out and this week was going to feel like forever and that this was a stupid plan in the first place!

As we exit the cab, I pay the taxi driver $52 - I hate paying cabs large sums of money, but I guess he deserved it considering we made him travel 26 miles. Eli gets out of the cab and grabs our bags out of the trunk. He rolls our bags into the airport and I dash beside him.

Once we enter the airport, we approach the woman standing behind the front desk and are asked to present two forms of ID to her. I sling my purse off my shoulder and sift through my bag and pull out my credit card and ID; Eli does the same but minus the purse and with a wallet.

We hand our cards to the woman. She verifies our identifications, hands them back, and prints out our boarding tickets. Our bags are then tagged and placed on a conveyor belt. "Please go to Gate 4 and go through the security check point." The lady demands politely.

**(Eli's POV)**

Clare and I walk away from the desk and maze our way to the security line for Gate 4. I grab a tub, place it on the conveyor belt, take off of my jacket, and put it in the tub. I look over to Clare, who is placing her tub on the belt, too. "Still nervous, Sweetie?" I ask her jokingly. I actually like calling Clare by little pet/nick names; it made me feel as if we were really a couple.

"Kinda," Clare rejoins, grinning slightly. "I'm sort of facing the fact that this is already happening and there is no way I can turn back now." she answers, sliding off her black flats. She crouches down to pick then up, then straightens up and tosses them into the bin.

"That's the spirit." I say as I start taking off the rest of all the items that are required and any additional items that could trigger the alarm to go off. I remove my shoes, ring, keys, guitar pick necklace, belt, and the wallet out of my pocket and throw it all into my bin.

In a sense, without all these things on me, I feel _naked_.

"Next!" The security guard hollers. I look up and he's staring at me intensely like I have the words "terrorist" on my forehead. I calmly walk through the doorway metal detector, hoping that it does not go off. It doesn't. "Again." The guard commands. I do it again and nothing happens.

I do a mental sigh of relief, then hear, "okay, you're clear" come from the guard's mouth. I nod, go passed the metal detector again, and watch as my tub comes out of the machine that x-ray our carry-on items. I grab my bin and start to put items back on.

I look over and spot Clare coming next to me. "Done?" I ask. She nods and gets redressed too.

...

_"JFK Airport, flight 732 to Hawaii, now boarding section 2." the woman on the P.A. system announces._

"Clare, that's us," I say as I look down at my ticket. "C'mon lets go." I stand us and she does to. We make our way to a man standing behind a podium checking tickets. Clare and I hand him our tickets and he lets us pass. But first he says, "Seats 22A and 22B."

...

Clare and I take our seats - me in 22B (the middle seat), Clare in 22A (the aisle seat). The person sitting in 22C hasn't boarded yet. I just hope that the guy I will be forced to sit next to for the next 10 hours isn't some total creep.

"Excuse me," a frail-ish voice sputters, "May I please get to my seat?"

I look up to behold an old woman with short, curly, gray hair is standing in the middle of the aisle. She wears a pair of black dress pants and a white collared shirt. She sort of has a visible hunch in her posture.

"Oh," Clare interjects, standing up and moving herself out-of-the-way. I stand too and walk out into the aisle so the woman can make her way to the window seat. The woman begins sliding to her seat and then sits down. I go back and sit down.

_"So this is the total creep I have to sit by..." I laugh internally._

"Hello," the elderly woman greets Clare and I sweetly.

"Hello." Clare and I greet her back in unison. She grins at us. Then Clare asks, "Would you like to trade seats with me?" The woman gratefully accepts and she and Clare switch seats. I understand what Clare is doing for the woman and I find that very sweet.

Clare begins a conversation with the old woman now sitting in 22A. "So," Clare smiles, "what are you going to Hawaii for?"

"I'm going for my retirement. And you two?" The woman responds.

"Vacation with my family." Clare states.

The woman glances at me then back to Clare. "Ooo. How long have you two been dating?"

"Um."

I toss my arm around Clare's shoulder and lie, "A couple of months." If I'm going to have to pretend to be her boyfriend, I might as well start practicing now, so when we get around her parents, I don't mess up.

The woman smiles, "Aww, you two are a really adorable couple."

"Thanks." I say, then smirk at Clare.

* * *

**A/N: I rushed to get this done. **

**Um, I hoped you all liked it.**

**Review!**

**-MFFITS**


	4. Too Long of a Title Name

**A/N: i REALLY DO LOVE ALL OF YOU GUYS.**

**Another thanks for being so interested in my story and I try my best to update as quickly as I can.**

**_WARNING: Clare's mom is an OOC bitch at times_.**

* * *

**CHAPTER FOUR - REUNITED (AND IT FELT SO GOOD UNTIL MY MOTHER MADE ME UPSET BECAUSE SHE ACCUSED ME OFF BEING A HORRIBLE PARTNER [AND ALL MY LIFE SHE MADE ME FEEL AS IF I WAS NEVER GOOD ENOUGH])**

* * *

**(Eli's pov)**

I wake up to the sound of the pilot speaking on the P.A. system. _"Ladies and Gentleman we are about to commence our final descent into XXX. Would you all kindly return to your seats, fasten your seat belts and sit in a fully upright position and ensure that your tables are stowed. _

_"Please ensure all personal items and articles of hand luggage are stored securely in the overhead lockers or under the seat in front of you and that no items are obstructing the exits. _

_"After landing please remain seated with seat-belts fastened until the aircraft has come to a halt at the gate and the captain has switched off the seat-belt signs. If you have any questions please refer to your nearest flight attendant, she or he will gladly answer them."_

I slowly open my eyes and notice Clare's head resting on my right shoulder as if its a pillow. I grin at the sight of her cinnamon colored curls draped over my shoulder. She looks so lovely and peaceful when she's sleeping. I brush a curl hanging in front of her face, one that was partially blocking my view of the sleeping beauty, behind her ear. After I touch her ear, she softly shakes her head at the irritation and nestles closer to me.

I grin again.

"Wake up Sleeping Beauty," I whisper, "we're almost there."

"Huh," Clare moans softly, lifting her head up from my body. "We're here already?"

"_Almost_," I repeat. "The pilot just made an announcement."

Wiping her eyes, Clare says, "Oh that's -. Wait. What did you call me early? When you were waking me up?"

"Sleeping Beauty," I smirk, "it's added to my _Pet Names for Clare list_."

...

"If the seat belt sign is off, it will be turned on. Please buckle them."

Clare, the old woman (whose name Clare and I found out was Ellen), and I all listen to the instruction that was given and we fasten our seatbelts.

...

After the flight attendants take their seats, we finally land, and the pilot says,_ "It is currently 5:53 p.m. in Honolulu, Hawaii; the weather is beautiful, warm and sunny. Thank you all for flying JFK Air. Have a nice time in Hawaii."_

...

**(Clare's POV)**

Eli and I stand at the luggage conveyor belt and I spot my red suitcase. I snatch it off and look back at Eli who had just found and grabbed his. I walk over to him and say, "My mom and Glen know that we were supposed to be arriving here around 5," I scan the area of people around in the lobby. "So they should...be...here."

I emit a sigh when I do not spot my mom or Glen in the thick crowd of bustling people. Eli throws his arm around me, massages my upper arm in three squeezes, and suggests, "Maybe we should just sit down and wait till we see them." I nod in agreement of his suggestion, then we trot over to a bench. My eyes still wander around the room in search of my mother.

Eli and I sit ourselves down on the empty bench we were headed toward. I set my luggage down beside me and I lean back onto the bench. "They'll be here Clare," Eli assures me.

"I know they will. Just wondering when."

"_Impatient_?"

I shrug at his question, then pull my phone out of my purse and turn it on. I stare at the screen, waiting for it to turn when I hear Eli ask, "Do your mom and Glen both have brown hair? And is your mom extremely shorter than Glen?"

"Yeah. Sorta," I answer, looking up at him. "How did you know that?"

Eli squints his eyes. "Uh, I think I'm looking at them." He points to the crowd. "Is that them?" I follow my gaze in the direction of where his index finger is aiming. Suddenly, I catch sight of a brown-haired woman about in her late 40's and a brown-haired man also in his late 40's standing amongst the crowd, scanning the area as if they are looking for someone. The woman has her hair tied up into a ponytail and wears a plain blue t-shirt, black capris, sunglasses set up on her head, and white flip-flops, while the man wears a white, _Salt Life_ t-shirt, khaki shorts, and brown sandals.

I smile brightly at the two and hop up from the bench. I run as fast as my legs will allow me, abandoning Eli to get to my mom and Glen. "_Woe_!" My mother shrieks as I catch her off guard with a strong embrace. She notices its me and she smiles, "Clare."

"Hi Mom," I greet her as I let go of her. I turn to Glen and give him a slight glare. I never really liked Glen, because he was my step-father and not my real father.

Glen had been my mother and father's friend and once my father and mother divorced, he had just seemed to swoop in like my mother's hero and married her. And for that, I was not his biggest fan. "Glen." I say flatly.

"Hey Kiddo." He says cheerfully, wrapping his arms around me, giving me a hug. I don't even attempt to hug back, I just wait for him to release me. When he does, my mother asks, "Where's the infamous Elijah Goldsworthy I talked to on the phone, Clare?"

"Um." I glance back to the bench Eli and I were sitting on; Eli and our bags weren't there anymore. I furrow my brows, puzzled as to where he - and our luggage - had disappeared to. I rotate back to my mom.

I open my mouth to speak, but my mother interrupts me before I even can. "Dont tell me you and him already broke up...In a two-day period, Clare? That's all it took? What did you do? Did you upset him?"

"No!" I deny, becoming angrier and angrier by the second. I know I don't like Glen, but I have to admit that he was way nicer than my mom was. I've always hated how mad and/or sad my mother could make me in just a matter of minutes; and every time she made me feel this way, it always had to do with something related to my love life.

Yes, I have a "love life", and Jackson was not my _only _boyfriend. I've had 4 throughout my 20 year life span.

In Grade 9, I dated a boy named K.C. Guthrie, a relationship my mother had worshipped, because K.C. was my _first_ boyfriend, but we broke up when he had left me for a former friend named Jenna. When we broke up, my mother had advised me to change my look - to stop wearing my catholic uniform to a no dress code school. She clearly stated that she wanted me to look more like my older sister, Darcy, which was a blow because it made me feel as if I wasn't pretty in comparison to Darcy.

I took an ounce of her advice and got a slight make over. My highschool best friend, Alli, and I went shopping and bought a whole new wardrobe; and I even cut my hair to a shorter length. My new appearance seemed to attract way more boys than when I wore the uniform - which I have to admit was horrible now that I look back on it.

I was courted may time during the rest of my years Degrassi (even by K.C.), but never really wanted another boyfriend.

But in Grade 11 (when my parents were divorced for a year now, and my mother was already remarried to Glen Martin for a couple of months), I got one, Mark Fitzgerald, a relationship my mother strongly disagreed with, but I didn't really car what she had thought. Mark and I and lasted maybe two months, and in those two months, I had granted him permission to take my virginity, which was a mistake and is something I will discuss further into later - if necessary. Anyways, I broke up with Mark the next day and when I told my mother about us breaking up, she was more than ecstatic.

In my freshman year at university, I dated a sophomore named Jason Wilkes. I blabbed on and on to my mother about Jason untill we broke up a year later. After we were over, my mother started accusing me of doing something wrong. I don't think I did anything wrong. All I did was tell him that I wasn't ready to have sex with him and that he needed to give me time. Yes, I haven't been "pure" since Grade 11, but I still didn't feel ready.

The same thing happened when I was dating Jackson. He just couldn't wait.

I had never told my mother the reasons for those breakups, too afraid that she'd tell me to stop being such a prude and just give them what they wanted, which seemed odd for a Christian woman to say to her young daughter. Truth was, I didn't think my mother was a woman who put God first. I think she put "love" first, but if she knew anything, she'd know that what Mark, Jason, and Jackson - maybe even K.C. - wanted from me was sexual activity. Not love.

My mother continues to argue with me. "You must've since he's not here." she shoots harshly.

"Why are you jumping to conclusions?" I question, glaring at the woman who was practically calling me a bad girlfriend. Suddenly, I notice my mother's facial expression change to shock and an arm is drapped over my shoulder. I jump at the sudden touch and look up to the side to see Eli smirking.

**(Eli's POV)**

I had watched as Clare dashed over to her parents. The reuniting of Clare and her family was sweet from what I had seen. I had grabbed our suitcases and got up to go meet her folks, but felt parched from the 10 hour flight and spotted a water fountain. I quickly got a drink and when I came back, all hell had already broken loose.

I set the baggage down beside me and I place my arm around Clare. She jumps and I give her a smirk. "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Martin," I greet Clare's mom and step-dad. I extend my free arm out and shake both of their hands.

"I-Is that E..._Elijah_?" Clare's mother asks Clare, stuttering.

"Yes," Clare nods and pats my back, "this is him"

"And _he's_ your current boyfriend?"

I smile and answer for Clare. "Yes Mrs. Martin. I am Clare's boyfriend and she's my girlfriend."

Clare's mom grins at me and waves her hand. "Oh Elijah, call me Helen."

"Okay, Helen. Call me Eli - everyone does."

"Okay, _Eli_. Wow Clare, you really do know how to pick 'em."

I smirk...Clare's mom (Helen) thinks I'm hot. _What else is new?_

"Yeah, I guess." Clare says, unsure.

"All of Clare's boyfriends were real hunks." Helen says, aiming her dialogue at me. "Well not all. Clare once dated this delinquent named Fitz and he -"

"MOM!" Clare shrieks, shutting her mother up. "Please don't talk about him. I don't want to hear his name."

"Who's Fitz?" I question, interested to hear about Clare's past love-life with a "_delinquent_".

"No one."

* * *

**I cannot wait to do the actual vacation.**

**Shiz gets good, well according to my plot in my head it does.**

**If you enjoyed this: REVIEW**

**If you didn't enjoy this: Still REVIEW (JK)**

**- MFFITS**


	5. Pantydroppin' Son Of A Gun

**A/N: I did my best with this chapter.**

**I assume you'll all love it.**

**(Title has to do with the last sentence)**

* * *

**CHAPTER FIVE - PANTYDROPPIN' SON OF A GUN**

* * *

**(Eli's POV)**

We exit the airport and saunter over to a silver Subaru Outback - Helen and Glen's rental car for the week. While Glen and I begin packing the trunk of the Subaru with Clare and I's baggage, the ladies insert themselves into the car. I toss my suitcase in last and Glen slams the trunk shut. Glen gives me a quick pat on the back and then we enter into the car. I open the door of the backseat and slide my body next to Clare's. I give her smile and she bites her lip, grimaces slightly, and looks down.

"What's wrong?" I question her in a soft whisper, genuinely concerned about the girl. "Nervous again?" I guess. She doesn't respond, she just keeps her head bowed and starts fiddling with her fingers. I toss my arm around her shoulder, yet again, and smirk. "Like I said on the taxi to the airport, _'everything's gonna be alright'._ Trust me."

Clare glances at my hand that rests on her shoulder, then turns her head toward me. She leans in closer to me and at first I believe she is actually going to kiss me. My heart begins to beat faster and faster. But then, her lips graze my ear and she whispers into it. "Why do you keep putting your arm around me?" she asks, quietly.

The breeze of her breath into my ear caused my ear to tingle. I twitch my body away and she giggles lightly. I smile, then lean over to tell her my answer. "I'm trying to be convincing," I whisper back. "The arm-around-the-shoulder move is the only thing I can think of without over stepping any of your boundaries."

Clare nods her head.

My answer is actually true, I am not trying to make Clare feel offended or uncomfortable in anyway. But I still like to do it. Just like calling Clare by little pet names, putting my arm around her, makes me feel as if we are a real couple.

Suddenly, I notice Helen glancing back at us, smiling as if she had just caught us doing something we weren't supposed to - something dirty. All we were doing was talking...in whispers...in each others ears. Clare scoots away from me and her mother giggles, "Aww you two are so cute together."

I automatically think of Ellen, the old woman on the plane, and I smirk, "Yeah. Mrs. Martin, we've been told that before."

...

We arrive at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort and Spa, exit the car, gather our belongings out the trunk of the rental car, and trot into the hotel. Once we enter, my jaw drops - well not exactly. I behold the inside of the resort, it is stunning. I scan the lobby, amazed beyond expression. It looks like a casual hotel, but classier than most, and more relaxed.

Helen and Glen walk passed the check-in desk and head into the first available elevator; Clare and I quickly follow in behind them. Glen taps the button labeled 21 and says, "All of our rooms are on the 21st floor, so we'll be right down the hall if you two need anything." I nod, showing that I had understood the information that he was putting forth, but then I furrow my brows.

_"All of our rooms are on the 21st floor,"_ I repeat internally. Does this mean we're all getting separate rooms to be with our partner? I'm staying in a room alone with Clare for six to seven nights? I like the sound of that, but I know it's not likely that anything will happen.

Clare pauses after Glen's statement and questions, "Why aren't we sharing rooms? Like two rooms and two _couples_?" The way she says couples sounds unsure and slowly flows out of her mouth. She's probably not sure what to call us. _We_ are acting and _we, us,_ our "relationship", is not real.

Helen looks over to Clare. "We originally thought about that, Sweetie, but Jake explained how he wanted to be alone with Vivian, and he convinced us that it'd be better if each couple got a separate room to themselves. So we got four rooms for all of us." A nervous "hmm" comes from Clare and Helen continues, "Why don't you seem happy, Clare? I thought you'd be thrilled to have some _alone time_ with your new boyfriend." Helen gives Clare a wink and Clare's eyes widen.

"No Mom, we d -"

Helen cuts her daughter off. "Don't worry about it Clare," she smiles, "I won't ask. Whatever you and Eli - Darcy, Jake, Vivian, and Peter included - do behind closed doors is none of my business. As long as you all remember to use protection."

After Helen says that, I cant help but laugh. Clare shoots me a glare as if what Helen had just said was serious and nothing to laugh about; but knowing Clare and _not _knowing her mother very well, it probably wasn't a good idea to laugh. I try to cover up my laughter with a short pseudo coughing fit. I notice Helen and Glen smiling at me.

...

_Ding!_ The elevator doors open and Glen and Helen escort us to the hotel room that we'll be staying in. Glen unlocks our room with a pass-key he grabs out of his pocket. Once he opens the door, he hands me the card. "This is yours - for the room." he pronounces, then digs into his pocket again, pulls out another pass-key, and renders it to Clare. "This is yours."

I go into to Clare and I's room, dragging my suitcase in behind me. Our room was absolutely beautiful. The room was based off of the colors orange, white, and brown. The carpet was tan and so were the walls. There was a flat screen tv set upon a smooth, glazed wood dresser, and a desk beside the dresser with a black computer chair tucked in. There was various, but similar lamps around the room - three to be specific.

As my eyes continues to look around the room, I see a plush, orange sofa chair, and a glass door that led to a balcony. Then, that's when my eyes fixated onto the kingsized bed, the one that Clare and I would share.

I gulp as images of us _together_ flood my brain. I quickly shake them out when I remember that I have a girlfriend and also that the chance of Clare and I ever hooking up is very slim to nonexistent.

"This very nice," Clare complements and I agree with her.

"Glad you two like your room," Helen beams. "It's the same as ours and the other two, just different color schemes and furniture placings." Clare and I nod. "Well Darcy and them are all down by the Paoakalani Pool; they're all excited to see you again Clare since its been almost a 6 months. Vivian can't wait to meet you, and the other's are dying to meet your new boyfriend."

What boyfriend? Oh wait, that's me!

"Let's go meet them now." Helen squeaks, grabbing Clare's hand and yanking her out the door. I find Helen funny, she acts more like Clare's older sister than her mom. "Eli, you too." she adds.

"Okay, okay Helen, but I would really like to change first. I'll meet you all down by the pool in a couple of minutes."

She says "okay" and her, Clare, and Glen disappear. When they're gone, I shut the door and bite down on my lower lip. Changing into a different pair of clothes was one of the three reasons why I wanted to wait a few minutes before going down to the pool to meet the rest of Clare's family.

Reason Two: I am a bit nervous to see them. I'm afraid that they won't take a liking to me. But according to Clare, _everyone loves me,_ which might be true...

Reason Three: On the car ride here, I was still wondering about Clare's mysterious, delinquent ex-boyfriend, Fitz. Clare had refused to tell me about him and Helen had kept her mouth shut since Clare said that she didn't want to hear his name anymore. I tried to conjure up an image of the guy in my mind, but I was blank. Many questions filled my brain at that time. Who was Fitz exactly? What did he do to be labeled a delinquent? When did he and Clare date? Why did they break up? Was Clare's mom involved in the break up? Did she intrude in their relationship some way?

Clare wouldn't spill any info so I decide that I should call someone who would know. I tug my phone out of my back pocket and dial Adam's phone number. After three rings, Adam answers, _"Hey dude. How's your vaca with Clare and her fam as her fake-but-wannabe boyfriend goin'?"_

"It's going swell," I say with fake enthusiasm. "I've only met her parents, but that's not why I called. I wanted to know, who's Fitz?"

_"Clare told you about him?!"_

"No, but I know about him. Why did he and Clare breakup?"

_"Sorry Eli, but that's not my business to tell. If you want to know, just ask Clare."_

"She's not telling me anything, but okay thanks Adam. Well I'm going down to the pool to meet Clare's sister and her stepbrother."

_"Ooo. Good luck."_

I roll my eyes and hang up them phone.

**(Clare's POV)**

Glen, Mom, and I go out to the pool and I immediately spot Darcy out of all the people chilling by the pool. She laying down on a deck chair, tanning in her bathing suit and a pair of sunglasses. I leave Glen and my mom and speed walk over to her. I notice Jake and Peter in the pool, but I don't say anything, I continue on the path to Darcy. Plus, there's no reason to say "hi" to them, because they don't notice me. I get to Darcy.

"Tanny Tan Darcy." I joke. She lifts up her glasses to catch a glimpse at me. When she catches sight of me, she hops up to hug me.

"Clare!" She squeals, squeezing me tighter, then letting go.

Suddenly, the blond-haired girl who had laid beside Darcy in a different deck chair rises to her feet. I examine her. The girl had platinum blonde hair, lightly tanned skin, and was possibly two inches taller than I. She wore big sunglasses like Darcy's, accompanied by a teeny, tiny, itty, bitty, blue bikini (which makes me gasp). "_This is a family swimming pool and you're parading around in...that!"_ I comment internally as I grimace at her choice in swimwear.

Her bathing suit is kind of like the one Eli had disgustingly bought me on Thursday, but at least his was more tasteful and would have covered me more than this girl's bikini covers herself.

"Clare?" the blond says. I nod, and without warning, she wraps me into a big hug, her boobs pressing against mine, making me slightly - no, very! - uncomfortable. She releases me. "Hi Clare. I'm Vivian Radke, Jake's girlfriend."

Oh...So this is Vivian, Jake's girlfriend of only a month. Tsk. Eli and I have a longer fake relationship than they have that is real (Eli and I agreed on telling people that we have been together for three months). Hmm, I can see what Jake likes about Vivian. Literally, I can see, her bikini top is sort of out-of-place now after she hugged me. She notices her nip-slip and fixes her bikini. It doesn't seem to faze her, that I had just saw...Nevermind.

Splash! I turn around to see Jake and Peter both exiting the pool and sprinting to get to me. "No running by the pool!" Darcy calls out and they instantly start to speed walking. They simultaneously hug me, soaking my clothes with water.

"Sorry." Peter apologizes and they both release me.

"It's okay." I smile and Helen and Glen come around us.

"So Clare," Jake sighs, grabbing two towels for him and Peter. "What happened with you and Jackson?" Darcy whacks Jake's arm as if the sound of Jackson's name will set me off. I'm pretty sure she knows that Jackson and I broke up - actually they all most likely know and heard from my mom. But none of them know the reason why. The only people who know is me, Adam, Eli, and Jackson, and maybe some of the people on campus.

"We just broke up," I rejoin.

"Yes," My mom says cheerfully, "but nevermind Jackson, Clare has a handsome, new boyfriend, Elijah."

_"We cant wait to meet him!"_

_"How handsome is he, Mom?"_

_"Very."_

_"Mom!"_

_"Where is he?"_

I exhale and I eye Eli coming out the door in a blue v-neck shirt and khaki shorts. His hands are shoved low in his pockets. I bite my lips and giggle quietly as he does one of his signature hair flips. We make eye contact from across the pool area and waves at me. I motion him to come over. "He's coming. He's right over there."

The gang turns around to catch a glimpse of Eli. I grin at the sight of Darcy and Vivian's jaws practically dropping.

_"Eli will always be a panty dropper,"_ I thought.

* * *

**A/N: I HOPE you all enjoyed reading el chaperoono?**

**I dont take a foreign lang. yet :(**

**Uhm, REVIEW.**

**I want LONG ones that make me giddy and make me smile ^-^**

**NEXT CHAPTER: The family gets to know dinner and they go out to Eli and the young adults go out somewhere (havent wrote it yet but I have an idea)**

**- MFFITS**


	6. I Dont Wanna Dance

**A/N: I still love you guys for liking this story!**

**21 favorites; 49 follows; 73 reviews. ALL IN 5 CHAPTERS ^_^**

**You people give me purpose.**

* * *

******Message to Jordanxx: WHERE THE "F" WORD was your review last chapter, believe it or not, I was stalling to update because I had not read your opinion on the last chapter. TSK...**

* * *

******Message to Rinny106: HA. Your review really touched my heart and I like how you like my story(s) :)**

* * *

**Well anyways, I really didnt want to go over this chapter, because it's really late and stuff. **

**It probably sucks (2,900+ words of suck).**

** But here it is... I bring you:**

* * *

**CHAPTER SIX - I DONT WANNA DANCE**

* * *

**(Eli's POV)**

Clare gestures for me to come over to her and the rest of her family turn around to catch a look at me. I notice as the blonde haired girl dressed in the Martin's enclosed group removes her sunglasses to get a better look at me. I look down and shake my head, smirking. I stroll up beside Clare. "Hey babe," I say to her softly, placing one hand on her waist. I lean down to give her a light kiss on the cheek (for convincing purposes) and she turns her hed.

My lips. Her lips. Contact.

She swiftly pulls back and we stare at each other in shock. I can tell she hadn't expected it. Shit, neither did I. I then flicker my eyes to the side and notice that Clare's family is giving us odd looks; Probably wondering, _"Why are they acting like that? Like they've never kissed each other before?"_

That's because we havent.

I flicker my eyes back to Clare's blue ones, which are still fixated on me, and I send her a telepathic message saying, _"Just go with it." _Clare must've got my message, because she quickly shakes her head and puts on a smile, rotating her attention back to her family. She introduces me, "Everyone, this is my boyfriend, Elijah Goldsworthy."

A wave of hellos sound from the group. "Hey," I say back. Clare then gives me personal introductions off the four, nameless young adults who stood before me. She nods toward the brown-haired girl in a white bikini.

"Eli that is my older sister, Darcy. Darcy Stone."

"Hi," Darcy greets me sweetly, walking closer to me and giving me a small hug. "It's nice to finally meet you."

"You too." I respond as we both discontinue the hug. Clare slightly points to the guy standing next to Darcy and states him as her brother-in-law, Peter stone. I look at the Peter; he was clearly taller than I by an inch or two. He had dirty blond hair that's flattened down and damp from the water. I can tell he had just been swimming, one, because he had on swimming trunks which were also soaked, and two, because he had a towel wrapped around him. Peter extends his hand out and I shake it, shooting out an " its nice to meet you" of my mouth.

Clare then points to the tallest guy out of the bunch and claims him as Glen's son and her stepbrother, Jake. Jake was super tall in comparison to I, maybe 6 foot. He boy had short brown hair and was incredibly lanky, but still had some muscle. And I knew, he too, had just gotten out of the pool because of his wet hair and the towel wrapped around his body.

"Hello, Elijah," he smiles, shaking my hand.

"Hello, Jake."

"Oh," Clare interjects. "And this is, um, Jake's girlfriend, Viv-"

"Vivian," the blond-haired girl blurts, interrupting Clare. "_Vivian Radke_."

I examine the girl closely as she tosses her hair and bites her lip. Vivian looked as if she was in her early 20s - possibly 22. She was shorter than I, and also, seemed to give of an aura of sex, or sex appeal. I glance down at her swimsuit of choice, a "barely bikini". Her bathing suit was quite skimpy and seemed to emphasize her breasts - which, by the way, were big, but a bit smaller than Clare's. Not that I look at Clare's, well... yes I do, but only sometimes (Translation: _al__l the time, when she's not looking_).

I avert my eyes from Vivian's body and focus on her face. "Hello Vivian." I hold out my hand and she shakes it.

"So Elijah," Peter breaths and I look over to him. "How did you and Clare me-"

Helen cuts Peter off. "No-no-no-no-no. Questions will be asked at dinnertime. It's almost 7 and Glen and I had scheduled us to have dinner in the diningroom tonight; e can all get to know Eli a little better then. For now you all should head up to your rooms and get dressed for dinner."

...

**(Clare's POV)**

Eli and I arrive outside our room. I unlock the front door with the card Glen gave me and we enter into the room. My mission: get myself ready for dinner tonight. While I set my suitcase onto the bed and unzip it, I start to think of thanking Eli for what he was doing for me; putting up the façade of being my boyfriend, all so I wouldn't be judged and criticized for not being able to "keep one". And Eli, he was doing a really good job as my pretend boyfriend - way better than I was as his pretend girlfriend.

Earlier when Eli kissed me - even though it was a peck on my lips and completely accidental - I sort of had a mini panick attack. When I had felt his lips press against mine, my heart began to race and I gave him a stunned look. He looked as shocked as I was. He glanced over, then back at me. He eyed me, arching his eyebrows in such a way that made me think he was sending me a message that he me to "act normal". So I did.

Though it was a minor kiss, I didn't want Eli to feel compelled to do it again when we were arround my family. Actually, I thought hand holding and the arm-around-the-shoulder thing would suffice for the week until we finally left. Plus, Eli does have a girlfriend, Julia. His relationship with her seemed to be the most successful one I've ever known him to be in.

But I still felt a bit weird.

I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. I honestly don't know what to say. It wasn't actually him having a girlfriend, or him being my friend that made me feel weird. I felt weird, because I had sort of like it; those 2 seconds where his lips were on mine we're shocking, but I had always thought about them. Thought about kissing Eli - once when I first met him - , but I had imagined it to be longer, intentional, and not in front of my family.

"Clare?" Eli speaks as her unzips his luggage and sifts through his it, pulling out a pale green dress shirt.

I glance at him. "Um yeah?"

"I'm sorry for...you know - kissing you."

"Oh no," I say, shaking my head lightly. "It's okay. I shouldn't have turned my head."

I really shouldn't have.

...

We all sit at a circular, eight chaired table in the Marriott's dinning area. The order of the seating is couple - fake couple - couple - couple (Mom, Glen, Me, Eli, Vivian, Jake, Peter, Darcy). We resume our conversation from earlier.

Topic: _Eli Goldsworthy._

"So Eli," Peter smiles, "now how did you and Clare meet?"

Eli chuckles, "Uhm, I've known Clare for about 3 years ,and I met her through Adam Torres. He had been my dorm mate and friend, and we had moved into an apartment together, but way before this, he had introduced me to Clare. Me and her turned into friends also."

"So when did you finally realize you liked her - or wanted her to be your girlfriend?"

Eli purses his lips together before answering. "Truthfully, I had always liked Clare, but I never really did anything or said anything to her about it. I didn't think she had liked me."

Darcy questions, "Why would you think that?"

"Because...I-I don't really know. We were friends and I didn't think that she had any interest in me - none at all. In her eyes, I believed she only saw me as a friend. Well not even as a friend. A friend of a friend - if that even makes any sense. We'd only talk to each other when Adam was around, I didn't feel comforta -. I just felt very nervous talking to her when Adam wasnt around." Eli grabs my hand and glances at me. "I liked her a lot."

A moan of lovingly sighs escapee from the women who sit at my table's mouths. Wow, Eli should have applied to NYU for the drama department; he's a very convincing actor. I actually sort of believe in his performance.

"That's so sweet," Vivian says, leaning her elbow on the table, resting her chin into her palm and staring at Eli. "How old did you say you were again." I roll my eyes at Vivian's question. It's obvious that she seemed to be interested - not by, but - in Eli.

I wanted to say, _"Back off. He has a girlfriend. Not Me, but someone else's, and I doubt she'd like you drooling over her boyfriend - not that every other girl doesn't."_

"I'm 21." Eli answers.

"So you are a senior," Jake assumes. Eli nods. I guess he can claim himself as a senior now since in a month when we go back to school, he will be officially one. Jake asks, "What are you majoring in?"

Taking a sip of his water, Eli rejoins, "Psychology?"

"You have a lot more of school to do. What made you decide in that field, Elijah?"

Eli shrugs his shoulders. "I kind of have a _passion_ for empowering people emotionally. I realize that several people have been emotionally cracked and brutalized, mostly emanating from childhood." I find myself captured in Eli's words. No wonder why he had volunteered to help me. He had seen that I had cracked.

Eli continues, "In this view, I see there is a need for people to be guided and encouraged to realize their self-worth, unleash their potentials and adopt ways of maximizing their resources. I believe I can excel in the field of counseling psychology. To sum it up, I like to help people. So yes, I have a long way to go, but I think it's worth it. It's something I really enjoy doing and the classes are fun."

"Wow," My mother gasps, "young, handsome, and smart. Clare you've really found yourself a keeper. Don't let him get away."

The way she says the last sentence lights anger in the pit of my stomach. It sounds like she would have added the words "like you let the others do" at the end of it. The woman seriously infuriates me. I absolutely hate how she believes she knows the whole story in my love life. She doesn't know anything! She doesn't know that I am only doing what I feel is best for me. I didn't want to end any of my relationships. It wasn't me who screwed up! It was them.

Under the table, I clench my fist into a ball, then a hand rests on mine. It's Eli's.

He looks at me with a calm look on his face, then says to my Mom, "Don't worry Mrs. Martin, I'm not going anywhere."

...

We've been in the diningroom eating and talking for over an hour now, when we finally decide that we are finished eating. "Be up early tomorrow around 9 a.m. or so," Glen commands. "We have an early morning 10 o'clock hike around the island."

"Well," Mom sighs, "Glen and I are going to go to sleep now." Total lie; they are going to go up to their suite and do things that are too unspeakable and flat-out gross. "You all should get some sleep too." she adds. Glen places money onto our bill and he and my mother stand up to leave.

**(Eli's POV)**

When Helen and Glen, Jake jumps up from the table. "I don't know about all of your Lames, but I'm not in the mood to go to sleep. I'm thinking about going down to this club down the street. Anyone wanna accompany me?"

Jake receives a roar of "yes"s in response - even from me - , but in the midst of all the sounds of agreement, there's a "no". It came from Clare. I look over to her. "You don't want to go?" I inquire.

"Clubs aren't really my thing..."

And it's true, I had never not once seen Clare at a New York club. Not even when Adam and I went. Clare must not like to free herself and dance. Quite a shame really, but her innocence is extremely cute.

"C'mon Clare," Jake sings. "We need you to go and be our designated driver incase we get fucked."

Clare shakes her head softly. "I don't know, I'm kind of tired. Maybe you guys can skip the drinking part."

"Clare! We are going to get drunk even if we think were not and try not to. Do you really want one us to drive the vehicle if all out of us are intoxicated?"

Clare pauses for a second, then agrees to go.

...

We've been at this club for an hour now and I'm having the time of my life, dancing around with Clare's family (mostly Vivian who had seemed to pull me onto the dance floor when we had gotten here). As we all danced, girls had seemed to come by and briefly dance with me. I paid no attention to them, until their bodies would grind up against me. "I have a girlfriend," I would say. Which was true either way. Clare or Julia. They girls would hesitate, but eventually leave.

Although, I was having fun, I could tell Clare wasnt. She sat perched up at the bar, drinking some canned beverage, and constantly glancing down at her phone, checking the time.

I trot over to her. "What are you drinking?"I ask her loudly enough so she can hear me over the music. She holds up her can in response, flashing me the label: **Pepsi**. "Classy," I joke.

"It's the only thing to drink!" Clare rebuttals.

"You don't drink?" I question, gesturing the bar.

"No, I'm not even 21 yet; I can't. Plus its super gross."

"How would you know? Ever tried it?"

"Yeah in high school, I did."

"And," I smirk, interested to hear about Clare's rebellious high school days.

"I drank half of can of beer at a party once and I threw up."

"I thought parties weren't your thing..."

"They're not. My boyf -" Clare pauses. "It-it wasn't my idea to go in the first place."

"Oh." I say lowly. I had caught onto it when Clare was about to say "boyfriend". Which one was it? The boy was most likely to be the bad seed. Fitz? Must've been. He was the delinquent boyfriend that she could not even bear to talk about. She must have had dated him in highschool...

We go silent for a minute til the song switches to "Disturbia" and I spot Clare's pink lips moving as if she is quietly singing along to the intro. I give her a smirk. "Are you singing?" She shakes her head "no" and I smile, "Yes you were. You like this song don't you."

"Maybe I do..."

I stand out and hold my hand out. "Dance with me." I demand playfully. She shakes her head again. "You know you want to." I tease, swaying back and forth. I don't wait for her to deny me of a dance again. I snatch her hand, yanking her out to the dance floor.

"C'mon dance with me." I pester.

"I don't dance," She claims.

"Everyone dances."

"Not true."

"If you wont dance, I will have to force you." I grab her hand and spin her around twice, causing her to giggle. "Just have fun," I say. "Dance."

She finally takes my advice and begins dancing with me. Not freaky close, erotic dancing like some of the girls were doing on me, but fun and untalented dancing that made me laugh. Also, made me do exactly the same. Burst with dance. As we dance together, I notice Darcy and Peter beside us.

"Wow, Clarebear's dancing," Darcy hollers, "miracles happen everyday."

"Clarebear?" I chuckle to Clare.

"Yeah it's an old nickname - one I wish I could get rid of."

"Dont." I tell her, smiling. "It's cute."

Clare blushes and I smirk.

* * *

**A/N: Well I see you all got through the end of this chapter. **

**Awful init?**

**I tried to get Clare to sort of like Eli.**

**Uhm, bad news time.**

**I had just recieved my progress report today...or yesterday since its 12. Well long story short, all my grades suck ass (except english ^-^) no coomputer for a few days, turns out I got projects to do and I also invest way to much time into the computer and writing stories for all you Lovelies. I'm taking a pause, but DONT fret...I'll write in my notepad.**

**Review! it'd mean a lot to me.**

**-MFFITS**

**MWAH bye (for a lil' and good night).**


	7. Burnout

**A/N: Hi, everyone. Good news: I'm back. I was gone for a LONG time. I would have tried to update on Friday when I had gotten my computer privileges back, but we went to Georgia for the weekend and I forgot to bring my notepad if I would've had computer access. Anyway, my grades went up (NO more F'S - just D's). **

**Um, this chapter it's just Clare's pov and she explains her relationship with Fitz. I hope I didn't mess up because I didn't go over this. Hope you enjoy.**

**OH AND THANKS FOR ALL THE REVIEWS AND FOLLOWS AND OTHER CRAP (:**

* * *

**CHAPTER SEVEN - BURNOUT**

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

Eli and I sit in the front seats of the rental car while the others doze off in the back seats. They didn't necessarily get drunk, but they had a few drinks and danced until they felt tired. And since I was declared the designated driver for the night, I had to be the one behind the wheel and to take us all back to the hotel, despite how sleepy I was.

My eyes grow heavy as I drive down the road. Beside me in the passenger's seat was a fully awake Eli, keeping me awake with conversation. Yes, he was more livelier than I and I know what you're probably thinking: _If he's so alert, why isn't he driving instead of me?_ Good question (sort of), Darcy did not want Eli to drive, because during our hours at the club, he had tossed back a few drinks and no one wanted to take that risk. But psssh, at this time, Eli would have a lesser risk of getting into a wreck than I. I couldn't keep my eyes open!

My eyes close to a soft, blurry squint. "Clare," Eli hisses. My eyes pop back open and I stare directly at the road, trying to keep them open. Eli sighs, "Clare, I know you're tired, but I'm really not trying to die today. Stay awake please."

I shake my head quickly, truing to liven myself. "I'm trying."

"I know you are." he says and I nod, stopping at the a traffic light that is currently displaying a red light. Eli continues, "See, we're almost there Clare." He points to the crest of the hotel in the distance. "We should be there in a couple of with the rest of the drive, then you can crash."

I nod yet again and finish the rest of the drive with absolutely no problem.

When we arrive at the hotel, I am so happy, yet so tired. Everyone stumbles out of the car, into the hotel, and into the elevator. We all enter into the area and Peter pushes the "21" button. The doors slowly close their gap and I feel the elevator shift and begin to ascend. I close my eyes and tilt my head as I lean my back up against a wall in the elevator.

"I'm so sleepy," I hear Jake's voice state and a response of murmurs sound, agreeing with him. "What time is it?" I pinch the bridge of my and sigh, then open my eyes. Eli's digging into his pocket. He pulls out her cellphone.

"It's 2:27, Jake."

"Wow...Uh, I think we'll be able to get enough sleep for us to go on our hike in the morning, but it all depends on the time we're leavin'. Clare what time did Mom and Dad say we should be up, Clare?"

I twist my lips. Even though I considered Jake to be my brother and he considered my mother and sister as his family. I couldn't help but cringe every time he would call my mother, _his_ mom. He had started doing this a year after Glen and my mom had gotten married. When he pronounced my mom as his, too, in a way, I think Glen had expected Darcy and I to do the same.

And Darcy did, I didn't. I mean, why should I? He wasn't my biological father.

I shake my head. "I don't know. Maybe 9 or 10."

Jake nods and we wait until the elevator reads, "21" and the doors open up.

...

I unlock the door to Eli's and I's room and push the door open. I glance at the bed and smile. I have never been so excited to rest in my life. "Oh how I've longed for you..." I shriek lovingly, trotting over to the kingsized bed and letting myself fall flat onto the plush bedding. I close my eyes and hum in relief. I hear the door close and I feel a weight drop down onto the bed beside me. I know it's Eli.

Without opening my eyes, I say, "You know you can't sleep here right...in this bed, with me."

"And why not?" Eli's voice chuckles.

I open my eyes to see Eli smirking (handsome) face staring at me. "I could think of a bunch of reasons Eli, but I'm far too tired to list them."

"Okay-okay-okay," Eli smirks, "where am I supposed to sleep then?"

"The chair, I guess, or you can take the floor. It's your choice."

He lists his head up and glances back at the chair. He views it for a second as if it is a tough decision. He whips his head back to me. "Um, I'll sleep in the chair, it looks way more comfortable than the floor." I wait for him to rise out of the bed and take his selected spot to sleep tonight, on the chair. He doesn't move though. I raise my eyebrows at him.

"I'll move," Eli speaks, "but first, I have to ask you a question and you have to answer it." Knowing that his questions was going to be related to the topic briefly mentioned earlier when we were at the airport. Fitz.

"Ask."

"Who's Fitz?" _I knew it._

I exhale, "He's my ex, Eli."

"Yeah, I-I know that, but who was he exactly. Why did you two break up?"

"Why do you care about knowing about him?"

"I dunno. But just answer the question. Why did you and _Fitz_ break up?"

"I just realized that...I just realized that it was a mistake of a relationship, and that he and I shouldn't have been together in the first place...Okay well now you know; you can go to the chair now."

Eli rolls off of the bed. I hand him a pillow and wrench the thin, white cover out from underneath the orange main cover on the top. I ball up the blanket and toss it over to him. "Here you go," I say. He smiles and thanks me as he begins making himself a little chair-bed on the fluffed sofa chair. Eli lies down on the chair, and I ease myself under the orange cover left on the bed. I try and close my eyes to sleep, but frustration strikes as I remember the lights are still on.

"Lights," I say hoarsely. Eli groans heavily and pushes himself up off of the chair. He makes his way to the entrance of the room and clicks the room's lights off. The room goes black. The only light that is shone is coming from the balcony doors and the city outside, but other than the small glow, I'm blind.

I notice dark figure [Eli] crossing the room, blindly trying to navigate across the room and back to his rightful spot. I hear a thud and Eli's voice screeches, "Damn it!"

I snicker. I guess he's temporarily blind, too.

"That's not funny," Eli states, laughing his own self.

"What did you run into?"

"Stupid swivel chair, I think."

I laugh again and cease when I see Eli finds his seat and lays back down. I roll my body over with my back facing Eli's direction. We both stay silent for a few minutes until Eli says, "Clare..."

Halfway asleep, I murmur, "Yeah Eli?"

"I'm really sorry that things didn't work out between you and that guy. I mean, I'm sorry that... I don't know; I'm just sorry."

"It's okay." I tell him nonchalantly.

"O-okay. Goodnight Clare."

"Goodnight Eli." I respond, nestling my body into the mattress of the bed and closing my eyes trying to sleep. As I lie there with my eyes shut, my mind drifts off to the though of my relationship with Mark "Fitz" Fitzgerald.

I had started dating Mark in grade 11. I was 17 and he was 18, but he was still in grade 11, because he had not passed it due to his lack of attendance and bad - no, horrible - grades. But anyway, when my mom and dad had divorced, and my mom decided to get remarried to Glen, I went through a phase: teenage rebellion.

I was angry. Angry at my dad for letting my mom get away; angry at Glen for betraying my dad's friendship; angry at my mom for remarrying. I was so confused as to how my mother had just seemed to obliterate 20+ years of marriage with my father from her memory and marry our family friend in a matter of months.

It made no sense.

And Glen, he just walked in and acted as if he were my father - which he wasn't.

Everyone knew I was beyond upset, especially Jake who had demanded me to behave and keep quiet. Pretend like I was happy for them. I did not dare put on a fake smile for them; I made my feelings known. At the moment, I thought "_Fuck love, this is just wrong!" _and I never did agree with it before or after Fitz.

So going through my "bad ass" phase, I lost a lot: my perfect grades, spotless absence for attendance, friends - even Adam -, respect from my authorities, any allowed privileges from my mom - but I disobeyed her orders anyway.

One day, my no-care routine wounded me up in detention after I let accidentally let a couple of curse words fly out of my mouth to my english teacher, Mrs. Dawes, during a arguement. Well, in detention that afternoon, I met a boy/student named Mark Fitzgerald - better known as Fitz (also known as the guy who accompanied Owen in the assault of my former friend Adam).

I had heard Fitz name in a string of Degrassi circulated rumors. I had always feared the day I'd just happen to run into him. From what I had heard in all of that gossip, Fitz should have been in prison by now; his record involved several illegal accounts, from doing cocaine to raping girls. Sky's the limit. He did everything.

I remember sitting down in the closest desk to the teacher responsible for chaperoning detention today, Mr. Perino, and also the desk furthest away from Fitz. We all sat quietly in the room for 20 minutes until Mr. Perino announced that he was going to the bathroom. Panick struck. If Perino left, I'd be in a classroom alone with Fitz. With my eyes, I pleaded the teacher not to leave. He ignored me and exited the classroom. Once the teacher went out the doorway, I heard a rustling of the desks. I looked over and caught sight of a grinning Mark in the desk beside me. He then asked me what had I done to get placed in here. I was surprised when he had used my name - I guess he knew who I was..

I told Fitz that I had got into an agreement with Mrs. Dawes; he congratulated me with a high-five. I smiled at him, he was sort of cute in a way. We talked and talked until Mr. Perino returned. But in those 2 minutes, Fitz had invited me to go somewhere with him after our detention sentence was over. I dumbly accepted.

After detention, Fitz had taken me to the ravine, or the _STD Wonderland _that I had know my former friend, Alli, used to go to in grade 9 to hook up with her grade 12 boyfriend, Johnny. She had dragged me there one time and when I went back with Fitz that day I could honestly say it was exactly the same - just the people were replaced with newer, hornier, sleazier people than the last time.

Last thing I remember from that night with Fitz at the ravine was that we were making out up against a tree. He had tried to get me to do more than just kiss, but I had stopped him. He gave me a grin and admitted that he liked me. I smiled and we continued the rest of the night with just kissing (and some occasional touching).

2 months later, I guess Mark and I were together... Well as much as I knew. See, Fitz and I limited ourself to labels. Sure, we'd make out and were practically inseparable, but we had no title.

With Fitz, I'd do things, a lot of things, but never sex. Even though I liked him a lot, I couldn't throw away my purity pledge for him. I wasn't in love.

But one night around the end of the school year, my mother expressed her disappointment in me when she had discovered that Mark and I were "dating". We argued, and I left the house. Walking down the street, I called Fitz and he immediately agreed to pick me up (and I wish I hadn't called him - NO, he didn't rape me if that's what you're thinking; it was consensual at the time).

Fitz and I sat in his car. I was a wreck, bawling into his shoulder, telling him all the horrible things that my mother said about him - about us. He comforted me with hugs, and then kisses, and then his hands traveled around me and slid underneath my clothing. I was too messed up to understand what he was doing, but then I did. Fitz was using my vulnerability to his sexual advantage.

I noticed I was topless and he neither had a shirt on anymore. He proceeded to remove my pants and I put a halt to his doings. I told him I didn't want to have sex - not that night. This angered Fitz, he argued with me about being so ... _prudey. _I took offense to his words and started to redress myself. He stopped me and said if I had loved him, I'd do this...

I had not loved him, but his plead had hypnotized me into doing it; I allowed him to take my virginity.

My First Time was with Mark Fitzgerald in the backseat of his junky car and only happened because I was weak. Too weak to deny him. My experience, to sum it up, was awful. It was not as special as I had pictured it to be. Fitz in no way possible was a virgin. He did not go even the slightest bit easy on me. And also, there was absolutely no romanticism in it at all. At the end of it all, I was in pain, but still managed to whisper, "I love you." And he never responded with an "I love you" back. He just said, "That was awesome, Clare, let's do it again tomorrow night."

My heart had sank. I redressed as fast as I could and demanded him to take me back home; he looked confused, but took me home anyway. I was furious at my virginity keeper and my lower area was in immense pain still. We arrived at my house and I ran into the house, heartbroken. I "broke up" with Mark, or ended whatever we had, the next day and he questioned why. I never exactly told him what was wrong, he should've known the reason for my sadness.

When Mark found out that I was actually serious about not seeing him again, he threw a tantrum, yelling at me. Then, the worst part happened, he got on the stage during our lunch time and made an announcement to the whole student body who were having lunch that he had taken my virginity in the back of his car. Gasps had sounded through the entire cafe, and the news spread like wildfire.

After doing it Fitz had apologized to me and stated that he wanted me back, but I declined his offer and promised never to talk to him again. What he had just did was unforgivable.

Fitz's announcement had ruined the rest of grade 11 for me.

During the summer, I had heard that Fitz had been arrested for attempting to steal a car, I brushed it off my shoulder and pretended not to care. I did, but only a little. I was done with him.

My last year of Degrassi, my label of "slut" had died down and I initiated my plan to regain my old life back, get my act back together. I tried my best in school and got good grades, apologized to my friends and got them to take me back; they understood that I was going through a rough patch last year and forgave me with open arms. And that was the end of that, I was back to normal...minus the fact that Fitz had broken my ability to ever love and trust a guy well enough to allow myself to be very intimate with, because I had thought and still think that every guy I date has no interest in me, but only in being with me.

That's why I never did anything with Jason or Jackson no matter how much they wanted to. I couldn't believe that they truly cared about me and not they just were using me. Jason might've loved me since we had been together for a long period, but Jackson...doubtful.

I shake my head softly and curl up into a ball under the covers. I close my eyes, letting my body shut down for the night.

* * *

**Stomach: (growls)**

**I'm going to make some Mac & cheese.**

**You guys should really review while I eat.**

**iloveyouall**

**-MFFITS**


	8. My Oh My

**A/N: TOOK ME FLUFFIN' 7 HOURS FOR THIS!**

**This chapter starts off bleh, but then I start to get more into it (but its still not that good)...GIVE IT A CHANCE if you're a new reader.**

**WARNING: Eli gets aroused.**

* * *

**CHAPTER EIGHT - MY OH MY**

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

I lay deep in slumber on the bed when I am shocked out of my sleep with a knock on the door. _Knock! Knock! Knock!_

"Clare, Eli," Darcy's voice calls through the door. Hearing her voice, my eyes slowly flicker open. Darcy continues to talk, sounding unsure if Eli and I are even conscious enough to understand what she's saying. "Are you two up yet? We're going down to the dining room to eat breakfast in a while, like an hour...Clare, Eli? Can you two even hear me, or am I just talking to myself?"

"Noooo," I say loudly, "I can hear you, Darc. We'll be out in a bit."

"Okay, hurry."

I assume Darcy leaves the door, because she doesn't say anything else a minute after her warning for us to move swiftly. I groan and roll myself over onto my back. "Hey Eli," I start, but my voice trails off when I turn my head in the direction of his person bed for the night - the chair - and notice its emptiness.

_"Where's Eli?"_ I wonder.

My quickly instincts take me to the edge of the bed; I peer over it and eye a dozing Eli laying on the floor. Eli lays in planking style - flat as a board - on his stomach; his head rests on the fluff pillow I had handed him; his dark, shaggy, messy hair covers the part of his face that is visible to me. The cover is sloppily placed on half of his body.

I bite my lip; I feel bad that Eli had resorted to sleeping on the floor. "Eli," I say as I reach my hand down and give his back a slight nudge - which is an ineffective tactic considering he doesn't seem to move in response. I purse my lips and shake him faster. "Eli..." I say loudly, hoping to wake him.

"Clare..." Eli groans sleepily.

"Oh good, you're up," I squeak, joking to Eli. He emits a soft chuckle and rolls onto his back. When his full face comes into view, I cannot help but notice how adorable he looks. He sweeps his bangs out of his face and shoots me a weak smirk. His eyes at a squint. He blinks a bit until they adjust to the light shining from the balcony doors.

Eli wipes his eyes. "What time is it?"

I shrug in response then reach over to the stand next to the bed where my phone lays plugged in to its charger. I tap the home button and the spot the time. 7:33 a.m. "It's 7," I announce and Eli nods his head. "Darcy said that everyone would be going down to eat breakfast in a while before going on the hike. I'm going to take a shower and get dressed."

Eli nods again. "Okay, I'll just be out here watching TV til you're done."

I hop off the bed and trot into the bathroom.

...

When I'm finished with my shower, I turn the knob to shut the water off and wrench my towel hanging from the shower curtain's rod down. I dry myself off, then step out of the tub. As I wrap the towel around my body, my eyes lazily scan the bathroom in search of where I put my close. My eyes widen.

"Shit," I curse under my breath, realizing that I had forgotten to go into my suitcase and pick out a pair of clothes for today before I went into the bathroom. "Oh no-no-no-no-no."

Panicking, I pace back and forth across the cold tile floor. I rake my fingers and huff. My feet lead me to the mirror, I lean my hands down onto the countertop and stare into my reflection's eyes. "Calm yourself, Clare," I murmur to myself, attempting to sooth my fidgeting nerves. "This is no big deal - nothing to _freak _out over... Right?" I bite my lip, nervously. " All you gotta do is, go out there and get your clothes. I mean, who cares if Eli's out there and might see you in the state of 'almost nude'? He's your friend, right?... So what are you worried about? He wont look at you. Just do it."

**(Eli's POV)**

I sit on the bed with my back propped up against the headboard, remote in hand, watching a Ridiculousness rerun on MTV while Clare is taking her shower. I observe the TV's screen as a young man on a skateboard crashes his manhood against a rail after a failed attempt at grinding.

"Ah," I cringe and my cradle my crotch. I remove my hands from my area and release a laugh when I come to terms that that guy isn't me. _"Quite funny when it's not me,"_ I joke internally.

The host of the show, Rob Dyrdek, and his group make a few quick jokes about the unlucky skateboarder's fall, then announce that the show would "be right back". As the show fades into preview of a new episode of one of the MTV various shows, I hear Clare shower water come to a halt. She must be done showering.

A few minutes after the water had died, I hear a squeak of a door - the bathroom's door. In my peripheral vision, I see a figure. I unknowingly glance to my left, then I turn my attention back to the direction of the flat screen. A second later, I realize what was on the left side of the room, I whip my head back in that direction and my eyes shoot open. There is a practically naked Clare in my presence.

Oh my...She looks...oh my...

Clare's auburn hair is semi-wet, droplets sprinkle down from the ends of her hair and onto her perfect porcelain skin; a bleached white towel is tightly wrapped around her body, and I think she might've grabbed the wrong one... The towel is short, it's at a short enough length that it exposes three-fourths of her thighs.

I can tell the towel makes Clare very uncomfortable considering she's frantically grasping at the bottom of the it, tugging in hopes to make it longer. _"Keep on pulling, Clare,"_ I urge her internally,_ "and the upper half might just slip down."_

I smirk to myself. That'd be lucky, for me.

Unwillingly, I force myself to look away from Clare, afraid that if I stared at her any longer, she might think of me as a pervert, or worse, I might get a hard-on visible to Clare, then she'd think I was an even bigger perv.

So as I try my best to keep my eyes off of Clare's physique, I can't help but sneak a few peeks at her as she trots over to her suitcase and lays it flat on the floor. She slowly and carefully drops to her knees and unzips her suitcase. She begins searching through her case for an outfit for today. I see her pull out a yellow tank top, a white shirt, and a pair of dark brown pair of shorts. I notice her pull out a black push up bra, my eyes immediately draw focus to her boobs, which are covered enough not to "expose" her, but they're pushed up, all thanks to the towel.

As I stare at her chest, I conjure up fantasies - fantasies of us, Clare and I, together. While those fantasies roam freely around in my mind, I get a feeling of excitement; I feel myself growing. "Oh shit," I curse mentally, taking my eyes off of Clare's skin, and trying to think of something other than her and I having sex right now.

I shift my body over in the opposite direction of Clare as calmly as I can without attracting attention to myself from her, and I attempt to hold it down. I hear a _zip_ and I glance back to observe as the auburn-haired girl stands up, still carefully keeping her towel in place, and quickly saunters back into the bathroom.

When the door closes, I sigh and roll back onto my back. I look down. "Fuck," I mutter under my breath.

...

After I fixed my _situation_, and Clare got dressed and exited the bathroom, I got ready myself. I took a shower and changed into the clothes I chose for breakfast and the immediate hike we'd take after.

Clare and I leave the hotel room and walk down the hall to the elevator. The elevator opens and Clare walks in before me. She wears shorts (the brown ones that she picked out earlier), and I'm trying to not look at - or even think about - her assets anymore; because of what happened about 40 minutes ago. I don't want to take the risk of getting another boner in front of her. Especially not when I'm wearing basketball shorts, which are loose and cannot constrain an erection for nothing.

In the elevator, Clare glances at me and asks, "So, have you talked to Adam lately?"

I shake my head. "No, not since yesterday."

"Oh, what do you think he's doing right now?"

"I don't know. With us not there, he's probably bored. It's Saturday and he doesn't have to work so I'm guessing he's either Skyping with Becky, watching sports, or better, watching porn."

"Ew," Clare scoffs, but also giggling. "How is that better?"

I shrug, "I don't know it just is."

"You're gross, Eli."

I smirk. _"You have no idea,"_ I comment internally, remember back to the 40 minutes ago when I was thinking sexual thoughts about Clare. I shake my head again. "But seriously," I say, "he's probably on the couch watching football - no, he's asleep. Definitely asleep. It's too early for him to be up on a Saturday."

Clare nods, "Yeah."

...

**(Clare's POV)**

We all sit at a table in the dining room of the hotel in essentially the same order. All I know is that, I am sitting next to Eli, and so is Vivian. Eh. A youngish waitress with dirty blond-hair comes over to our table and takes all of our orders. I order blueberry pancakes, eggs, and bacon, and she jots down my request. Then glances over to Eli and renders him a flirtatious smile. "And for you, Sir?"

She bats her eye lashes at him and I roll my eyes... Hmm another Vivian, I see. If they could, I bet either the waitress and/or Vivian would have just pounced on Eli at first sight. I _know _Vivian wants to and its obvious that the waitress also has an attraction to Eli.

Eli scans over his menu for a second before setting it down back onto the table. "I had an idea of what I wanted," Eli starts, "but I change my mind. What Clare's having sounds really good; so I'll take what M'lady's having." The waitress glares at me. "I love blueberry pancakes." Eli adds.

"O-M-G! Me too." Vivian comments, sounding shocked as if she and Eli were the only two with the same interest in taste. "I absolutely love blueberry pancakes. Waitress, I'll have the same as Eli."

_"And Clare,"_ I mentally say, rolling my eyes again. Mm, how does Jake not notice Vivian's not-even-close-to-invisible attraction to my [fake] boyfriend. It's quite easy to see.

...

We still sit, eating, and discussing last night. Darcy's is bragging about how Eli had convinced me to dance last night at the club. "Mom, you should've seen it," Darcy squeals. "She actually dance, and looked happy about it - they both looked happy. They're so cute together."

Mother smiles, "I guess, Eli here is a little miracle worker." This makes Eli grin.

...

**(Eli's POV)**

We finish eating our breakfasts and Glen and Helen split us up into two different groups for the car ride to wherever we're going to take our tour of the island. "Peter, Darcy," Helen calls out as we all approach the two rental cars, "you two will ride with Glen and I, while the rest of you guys ride in the truck." We all nod in agreement and separate. Jake goes to the Subaru that Glen and Helen had driven us to the hotel in. Glen and Jake exchange keys in a toss. Jake catches the keys and unlocks the doors.

Jake enters the driver's side, and I walk over closer to Clare and Vivian. They we're both standing by the back seat's door. I hear half of their discussion. "- sitting back here with _my_ boyfriend,Eli. Okay?" Clare says firmly.

"Okay," Vivian smirks, "It was just a suggestion."

I furrow my brows as I walk up to them. "What are you two talking about?" I question.

"Oh nothing," Vivian responds sing-songly, going into the passenger's seat.

"Yeah. Just get in the car, Eli." Clare demands, opening the door and gesturing me to enter. I hop in the car and she follows behind, then slam the door.

I lean over into Clare and whisper a question. "So what really was happening between Vivian and you."

"I don't think you've notice, but Vivian has a 'crush' on you. That's why she pleaded me to sit up front with Jake, so she could sit back here with you."

"That's what she said?"

"Not exactly, but that's basically what she meant. She told me I should sit up front with Jake to 'get a better view of the city'. Meaning: Oh let me sit back here with Eli and try to seduce him."

"No way," I say in disbelief. I can actually believe that Vivian might have an attraction to me, but even if she did, there's no way she'd do anything about it, she and Jake are in a relationship. She wouldn't do anything to sabotage that. Would she?

"Yes way," Clare hisses. "If anything, I did you a favor. You're dating Julia. I wouldn't want you to be distracted or get tempted to cheat by another girl."

I purse my lips and think, _"I'm already tempted."_

* * *

**A/N: I am so super super sick right now. :( I hope I get over this dreadful cold. Its wearing me out.**

**WELL...**

**So last night, that episode of Degrassi was so awesome! Drew won over MY heart. I cant wait for the new season or sub season. Idk. Connor& Jenna. Oo lala. Naked Eli? Me: (puddle)**

**So, you guys should tell me what you think.**

**Like or not like?**

**Review! (long, entertaining, funny ones are appreciated)**

**iLoveYouAll**

**-MFFITS**

**P.S. I got my 2013 Warped Tour tickets! Yay! [does backflip]**


	9. You Kill Me (In A Good Way)

**ATTENTION: I am quitting fanfic - well maybe when Degrassi passes Gilmore Girls, I wiil...this could take a while. JK. No actually, I think I'll stop writing when I get a life, or when I go to college (4 years) :/**

**A/N: This is a combination of 2 chapters. I decided to put them together for two reasons. **

**1) one of the chapters would've been too short, while the other was extremely long.**

**& 2) I'll be out of town for a week without a 24 hr computer near me, so I wont be updating...I'll still write in my notepad and when I go back home, I'll type the crap out of this keyboard :) I promise.**

**So... Chapter Nine...MMM, I didn't go over-over this.**

**Enjoy**

* * *

**CHAPTER NINE - YOU KILL ME (IN A GOOD WAY)**

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

We arrive back at the cars after out long hike. The hike was nice and refreshing, but pretty much uneventful. Approaching the cars, we all disperse ourselves out to go back into our original cars, but suddenly Glen stops us.

"Wait, all of you!" He shouts, causing us all to halt in our tracks. "Boys in this car," he states, gesturing the Subaru.

"And Girls, the other car," Mother says, gesturing the other rental car, the red Malibu Chevrolet. "We're separating. The guys are going somewhere withe Glen and you girls are going somewhere with me."

"Um, oh-okay," Darcy stutters sounding seemingly caught off guard and biting her lip slightly. She turns and gives her husband a light peck on the lips before heading to the Chevrolet. "Bye Babe."

"Bye Darc," Peter waves, going the opposite way as her and into the passenger's seat of the Subaru.

I look around to see, my mother and Glen doing the same, and Vivian and Jake are sharing a long and quite fierce "goodbye" kiss. Which, by the way, is making me very uncomfortable. They finally release each other and go their separate ways. I glance over to Eli who is at my side and my eyes eye his lips. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to say "goodbye" to him right now.

"Okay, well -" I start to speak, but before being cut off hands pulling me into a set of lips, pressing them against mine for a brief moment.

Eli let's go of me. "Bye," he dismisses cooly with a small smirk. He then jogs over to the Boy's car and hops in the backseat. Stunned, I stand there for a few seconds till I learn how to work my body's movement functions again properly. I slowly rotate my body around, saunter over to our car, and get in.

...

My mother and Darcy both sit in the front of the car while I am forced to sit in the back with the Tramp. If you havent caught on, the Tramp I am referring to is Vivian. She doesn't think I can see through her sweet voice and façade of genuine innocence. She clearly wants Eli. And I promise, I wont let that happen.

If she and Eli hooked up, a lot of people would be hurt. Jake. Julia. Me... I mean, I'm his friend; I wouldn't want him to jeopardize his relationship with Julia all because of some bimbo; Julia's a nice girl - as far as I know... She and I aren't necessarily friends though.

See, Julia doesn't go to NYU with all of us, she lives in Manhattan which is about a 20 minute drive for him and her to see each other. So when she visits every weekend - with the exception of this week because she's in Italy -, she's only on a mission to be with Eli.

When we'd answer the door she'd say "hi" then immediately ask for Eli. That girl had no interest in getting to know Me or Adam; she had only interest in Eli. When Eli would finally appear, she'd grab him, and go, saying "bye" to us on her way out.

So yeah, nice girl...

But once, Adam called her a "_bitch_", because I guess Eli had ranted to him about how he was sick of Julia, how he and Julia had been fighting a lot lately, and how on their last dinner date (the night before Adam had retained this information), Julia had had a fit at the waiter for getting her order slightly wrong. And when Eli tried to calm her down and tell her that they could bring out the dish prepared correctly, she snapped at him for "defending the waiter and not his girlfriend".

Adam said Eli had been so embarrassed by Julia's attitude that night that he was thinking about breaking up with her. He was also sick of the various, unnecessary tantrums being thrown at him too; he didn't like women who just bickered and complained all the time. Apparently they made up the next day and were still together. Adam had asked why didn't Eli break up with Julia and Eli responded that Julia was really great in bed.

When Adam had told me of Eli's answer, I had scoffed in disgust.

"So Mom, where are we going exactly?" I ask, rolling down the window a little so I can get a breeze circulating throughout this immensely humid car.

"Shopping center," my mother replies. "You girls can buy what you please, but I am mainly set on buying us all Hawaiiany dresses for the luau at the hotel."

"They're having one tonight?" Darcy questions.

"No, Monday night."

"Oh." Darcy says, dragging the word. Our conversation continues from the topic of the Monday night luau and ends up at a topic I'd rather not discuss, and one that Vivian - obviously - brought up.

_Sex_.

"Jake is absolutely wild in bed, and it's fantastic." Vivian squeals, smiling brightly, making the rest of us purse out lips. It's extremely awkward for me to hear praise from his girlfriend about him being an amazing lover, and it embeds an even more awkward and blinding image in my mind.

I don't want to visualize Jake and Vivian on top of each other, all hot and sweaty - I'm not trying to have nightmares tonight.

"Peter's passionate," Darcy blurts, changing the mood of the car slightly and snapping the horrifying images of Jake and Vivian out of my head. "He's like...really sweet, and its amazing." I emit a loving sigh after Darcy's words and do not cringe like I did when the Tramp was bragging about my step-brother abilities.

For some reason, I can imagine Peter naked and still manage to keep my potential vomit down.

My mother giggles, "I'm not even going to get started on discussing what happens in the bedroom with Glen and I." We all begin to laugh and sputter out words like "gross" and "that's disgusting."

"Ha ha," my mother fake laughs, "you all wont be laughing when you get my age." We still continue to laugh.

Laughs die down and Vivian turns to me. "What about you?"

"Huh?" I say nervously.

She smirks, "I meant, how is Eli in bed?"

As she asks me this question I can't help but notice all six eyes in the car flicker at me. Darcy glances of should and stares at me the same time as I see my mother also staring at me in her rear view mirror. They all seem to be interested in hearing my response. I'm not sure what to say at this moment. Should I lie and say we have? Should I tell the truth and say we havent?

I have been lying for the past couple of days, I should at least tell an ounce of truth.

"We...we havent," I finally get out, "we havent had sex."

In reply I receive a gasp from Vivian, "You havent!" When I silently shake my head no, Vivian's surprise shows even more as her eyes widen. "Well, you've at least seen it, right? His..." Vivian wags her index finger. I shake my head no again and she sighs, "Oh God!"

"See Clare ," my mother starts, "that is your problem, right there?"

"What?" I say confusedly.

My mother sighs and states, "Eli is a good catch, Clare." I nod. "I'd hate for you to lose him due to your lack of passion towards him."

"What are you trying to say?" I question sternly, glaring at my mother through her reflection in the rear view mirror.

Calmly, my mother says, "You guys - you and Eli - have been dating for a while now, I mean, would it kill you to be more open to the idea of _being _with him..."

I roll my eyes. "Eventually, Mom, it-t'll happen."

"Will it?" she challenges, "Clare, if you haven't noticed, many girls find Eli very attractive." _I've noticed. _"One day h-he wont be able to abstain himself from his sexual needs any longer," I begin to grimace as she speaks. "And if you aren't going to be his supplier, someone else will gladly fill the position that you are clearly not doing-"

"Mom!" Darcy shrieks harshly, causing my mother to jump. "Why are you acting like this. Can't you see that Clare is obviously not ready to take this step with Eli yet. They only been dating a couple of months. If she wants to wait, let her wait, and stop trying to make her be...be some kind of _whore?..._ And stop trying intrude in her relationships all the time! It's really none of your business."

_"God. I am so loving Darcy in her big-sister mode right now,"_ I smile internally and proudly.

"Well maybe if I-I would have _intruded _in the past, she would've broken up with that _vile_ Mark Fitzgerald sooner and dated quality boys. She maybe would have been able to keep one of her boyfriends, like Jason o-or Jackson. If she would have j-just called me and told me the troubles that they were facing, I could have been of assistance and gave her some of advice..." My mother glances over her shoulder and looks at me. "See, I'm only trying to help you keep a guy, Clare..."

"What do you know about keeping guys?" I hiss, "You couldn't even keep Dad."

My words were meant to wound, and I'm pretty sure by the look on my mother's face that they did. My mother turns back around in her seat and the car goes silent.

After a while, out of no where, my mother speaks. "Your father is an asshole. He made the mistake, not me. I kept up my end of the marriage and tried to forget it and repair our relationship, he was the one who was effortless. So as for keeping a man, I tried. Theres a difference between you and me, Clare. I try, you don't. And know it or not, my advice is good - Eli is good. Just... you just gotta -"

Darcy cuts my mother off. " Stop talking, Mom, It really is _none_ of your business. If Eli cares for her, he will patiently wait until she's ready. So leave her be, and that's the end of this discussion. My mother opens her mouth to speak but Darcy shoots, "No. No more talking. Silent ride the rest of the drive."

I grin, I've never been so proud to call Darcy my sister - my defender.

...

We stand in this little store at the shopping centre, its full of clothes - obviously - , Hawaiiany clothing. I am examining a rack of possible attire for the luau. Darcy and Vivian are purchasing the dresses they had found at the shop, and I don't know where my mother is, and frankly, I don't really give a rat's ass.

The rest of the car ride had been painfully silent, just like Darcy had demanded. I couldn't help but notice an expression of anger and sorrow glued on to my mother's face the rest of the drive. She was hurt, but I don't care, she hurt me first.

So as I go through the section hideous, frilly and colorful skirts, Mom suddenly comes up to me. She holds a yellow v-necked dress which straps are tied around the hanger. It's actually a pretty dress... "What do you think?" she grins, holding the dress up in front of her figure.

"Ehh, it's a bit too small for you, you think?" I shoot wickedly, causing her to purse her lips.

"It's not _for _me," Mom replies, "I was thinking _you _could wear it for the luau. Cute, isn't it?"

"No," I state flatly, stomping away from her and the ugly skirts and over to the next rack which were strictly dresses. I aggressively sift through my choices before my mother comes over. I groan when I spot her coming up next to me. I get ready to storm away from her yet again.

"Clare," she sighs sadly, grabbing my arm.

I yank out of her grasp and shout, "What makes you think you have the right to talk to me now after what you had said to me in the car?!"

"I-I know, Clare. I've cooled down enough to realize what I had said to you in the car was wrong of me - no, everything I've been saying to you has been wrong. All of your life, I have compared you to Darcy or other teenage girls I'd seen. I don't know, I guess... I don't know. I'm so sorry Sweetie for Everything. The way I have been acting towards you the past couple of years. And I now know that it has been upsetting you, and I'm again really sorry, but all I want is for you to be happy...with someone."

"Mom, I'll be fine, with or without Eli."

"Y-yeah. I know. But I just want you to be with a great guy - which is El. And I-I really don't want you to let him get away. He's nice, funny, smart, has a plan for his life, an - by God - Clare, he is absolutely gorgeous."

I don't correct her on that, Eli was all those things and more. He was perfect, just not for me.

My mother continues, "I just don't want you to go through what I went through. I want you to be in love. I want you to love Eli as much as he loves you."

"Yeah Mom," I exhale, then suddenly catch on to her words, "Wait what?"

"I'm saying that I don't think that you are as interested into him as he is to you."

"What make you think that - th-that Eli interested in me...more?"

My mom grins and begins to tell me her perspective. "I've noticed that he's always smiling or doing that adorable little smirk whenever he has his arm around you or is just around you, smiling as if you are some prize that he wants to keep a safe lock on and never lose. And any time when I'd say something sort of rude about your relationships - sorry about that by the way - , he'd be quick to defend you. And also as Darcy as Darcy said, at the club, he was breaking you out of your shell, making you happy, and adventurous - making you dance." My mother pauses and brushes my hair behind my ear and a smile crosses her closed lips. "He wants to be with you; I know it. And if he hasn't said it already, he loves you."

That cannot be true. Eli is my friend, there's no way he feels that way.

My mother starts tearing a little. "I am truly sorry Clare for the way I have been treating and nagging you the past couple of years. It's just that when your father and I had split, I didn't know what to do. I wanted you and Darcy to be as happy as I once was and I wanted you two to stay that way. I now know that I wasnt doing it in the proper way, thinking that if you slept with a guy, he'd magically and instantly fall in love with you and want to be with you for ever - definitely the wrong way...I wanted you to find real love, like I have found with Glen."

I unknowingly roll my eyes and my mother snaps, "I know you still don't like him, but it's true, I do love him. And I still want you to find that same love like Darcy and I have - the true kind. And I believe Eli is the right guy to discover that with... But if you still don't feel the same about Eli, I wont push you to love him, you can do what you want; you are an adult. A beautiful one you have grown to be."

We stare at each other. She already has a couple of tears flowing down her cheek, while I am on the verge of leaking out of my eyes. She opens her arms and walks into me. I embrace her in mine and let a few tears fall. Over my shoulder I hear her whisper another "I'm sorry".

This is what I have been waiting for for almost 6 years; her to realize her errors and apologize sincerely. Now that it had finally come, I had never been so grateful.

...

We walk around the plaza in search of a food court or something . At the clothing store, after my mother and I made up, I admitted to my mom that I had really liked the yellow dress and she had found it off the rack again and bought it for me.

So walking around, searching, Vivian grips my forearm, stopping me. "Oh my God," she gasps, staring at the store we were currently passing. My mother and Darcy stop and glance back. "Let's go in." Vivian suggests. I eye the window of the store and immediately am repulsed. It's a lingerie store - or maybe one of those naughty barns, or something. The two mannequins in the display window are all dolled up in colored wigs and dressed up from head to toe in hooker-ish clothing.

My mother shakes her head softly, "Um. I don't know, Vivian, I'm not really up for it - I'm hungry. Plus, I have no business being in there. That stuffs a little too erotic for my taste."

"Me too," Darcy agrees, locking elbows with my mother (I guess they made up too). "I'm really hungry."

Vivian dismisses the thought of either two being her shopping buddy and she turns to me.

"Dont even," I thought. Then her eyes plead to me, begging me to come in the store with her. "There is no way in hell I'm going in that sex shop with her!"

...

Techno pop music plays in the background as I sit on a white leather sofa in the store, waiting for Vivian to change into _another _one of her many selections of outfits. I'm really not in the mood to see Vivian half-naked in fish net stockings again.

"God, this is so boring..." I mutter under my breath, and as I finish my sentence, I feel a vibe in my back pocket. I pull my ringing phone out to reveal Eli's number calling me. "Hello?" I answer slowly.

_"Hey Clare," Eli greets me brightly, followed by Jake who I hear say, "hey Clare" as well in the background. Eli laughs, "Jake says 'hi'."_

"I hear... So where did you guys go?"

_"Um. We're at a free range golf course," Eli rejoins, "Glen said we're not supposed to be on our phones calling you guys, but I got bored and Glen is oblivious that I have my phone out - he's in somewhat of a golfing zone." Eli releases a soft chuckle. "What you girls doing?"_

"Um, we all had bought dresses for that luau on Monday, and Darcy and Mom went to go get something to eat while Vivian dragged me into this... store." I didn't know what to really call this, after looking around, I realize that it is sort of a sex store. Theres little sexy and seductive costumes, toys, movies, and other erotic things. It makes me oddly uncomfortable. "I'm being forced to give her opinions on the outfits she tries on."

_"Oh, so you two are friends now?"_

"Not even."

_"Oh-okay, what store?"_

I bite my lip. "I didn't catch a look at its name before we came in, but I know that I'm most likely never coming back here again. It's gross."

_Eli laughs, "Clare, you're making it sound like you're at some sort of sex shop."_

I stay silent for a second.

_"Oh my," Eli squeaks, "you are." I can just picture him grinning now. "So, you're going to buy something to wear for me, or you gonna buy us some toys?" Eli jokes._

"You wish."

The curtains sweep open and out comes a skankily dressed-in-lingerie Vivian. She wore the outfit that had a black and red stripes on its corset, black underwear, and long, thigh-high stockings.

Doing a 360 spin, she giggles, "What do you think, Clare?"

Does she want my real opinion?

I shake my head. "Vivian, I am not a guy, so I cannot judge your ... um outfit with a perverted perspective "

Vivian exhales, then eyes my phone. "Who are you on the phone with; the guys?"

"Yeah, but only E -"

Before I can get my words fully out, Vivian snatches the phone from my hand and takes it into the dressing room with her.

"What are you doing?" I screech, walking toward her cubby of a dressing area.

"'I'm going to send a pic. For Jake." She responds, silencing me. I can't just snatch my phone away now, who am I to stop her from showing her boyfriend how slutty she is? I guess its okay for her to use my phone, just s long as I get it back.

...

**(Eli's POV)**

I was still on the phone when apparently Vivian came out of the dressing room. I heard their brief conversation about Vivian's attire. I knew enough to know that Vivian was now in possession of Clare's phone. The call ends and seconds later, I receive a new picture message from Clare (Clare's number, Vivian's message). I reluctantly open the message to find a seductive picture of Vivian posing in front of a mirror in a costume of lingerie. I gulp nervously as I read the caption that went along with the image.

_What do YOU think?_

This message was clearly directed at me, and not Jake. Clare was right, I think Vivian is trying to seduce me. Not looking at the alluring picture a second longer, I do the responsible thing, I hand the phone over to Jake.

"Why are you giving me the -" Jake glances at picture. "Woah, hot."

Jake runs off with the phone and begins to call Clare's cell. I don't really mind, I just pick up my golf club, set a spare golf ball down on the tee, and swing.

...

I've been golfing for a few minutes and enjoying it when suddenly I hear my ringtone playing and I see Jake sprinting over towards me. He holds my phone out. "Hey, you got an incoming call from some hot chick," he informs me. I see Julia's face flashing on my screen. "Who is that?" Jake questions.

"M-my sister." I lie and not very goodly, but Jake nods, seeming to believe me. He walks away.

I answer my phone, "Hey Julia, I know you want to talk, but I really can't talk now. I'm sort of busy."

"Four!" Glen shouts, whacking a golf ball out into the air at a long distance.

_"What was that?" Julia questions._

"Oh, someone just ordered 4 cups of coffee, I'm at work, I'll talk to you later, gotta go, bye." I hang up.

I'm a bad boyfriend.

...

Clare and I enter our room after a long day of hiking, shopping (girls), golfing (guys), and having just had been out to dinner in the dinning area again. It's cleaned - thank you maids. I fall onto the bed and Clare announces that she is going to take a shower.

She walks into the bathroom, and I sleepily slip out, "Don't forget your clothes again." She quickly darts out of the bathroom and over to her suitcase. _"Dammit," _I curse myself internally. I secretly wanted Clare to walk out of the bathroom naked, covered by a teeny towel again. Hmmm, maybe another day.

Clare takes her shower and comes out of the bathroom dressed in a plain black tank top and pink colored shorts withe the word "PINK" written on them; she must have gotten them from her job. She looks...cute. She goes onto the bed, the same time I get up to go to take a shower myself.

...

When I finish, I come out of the bathroom in a pair of green boxers and a black&white Dead Hand t-shirt. I walk over to the bed, getting ready to dismember the maids excellent bed making skills to remove the thin white cover below the plush orange one. Clare puts my doings to a halt.

"Wait Eli," Clare shoots, stopping me from lifting up the orange cover. "You don't have to sleep on the floor anymore, you can just sleep up here."

"Why the sudden change in attitude?" I don't know why I am questioning this girl. I'd fucking love to sleep in the same bed with her!

"I just didn't think the floor looked comfortable this morning... Oh, but if you want to, you can gladly stay on the floor...I was just offering -"

"I'm sleeping up here." I state, cutting her off and jumping onto the bed.

Clare giggles, just don't be too close to me while you're sleeping."

"I make no promises."

"I'm serious!"

"Okay."

...

**(Clare's POV)**

_"Call the tax relief help line..."_ I hear the tv chant, it wakes me up.

I hear a sweet groan in my ear and feel breat of heat purring on the back of my neck. My shirt is up a little and Eli's hand rests on the bare skin of my waist.

He and I are close. We fitted in a slightly detached puzzle like fit. My back facing his front.

_"Oh Lord,"_ I whine internally, peeling Eli's arm off of me.

As I push Eli's arm off, my body moves back a bit. I feel something hard poke at my back. I immediately expect it to be the remote. "_Good," _I thought, I could use it to turn off the tv, then try and go back to sleep. I blindly reach down the covers for the remote. When I grasp something covered by a fabric of cotton, my eyes widen.

It's not a remote.

Repulsed, I push the covers off of me and I spring out of the bed. "Holy Hell!" I screech.

The movement of me jumping out of the bed and my loud shriek, wakes and startles Eli. His eyes slowly open and dart over to me. He rubs his eyes and leans his body up on his elbows. "What's going on, Clare?" he asks, sleepily.

I panick at how I should answer his question, so I point to the tent in his boxers.

"Oh shit," Eli panicks, wrenching the nearest pillow to his body to cover himself. "Not again..."

I raise my eyebrows at him and mentally ask, "_Again? What does he mean...'again'?"_

* * *

**A/N: Mmm, what do you guys think?**

**It wasn't all that good. I have no idea what I want to do for tomorrow (Sunday in the story). I have my plot laid out...**

**But if you guys want to throw out some suggestions for the next day on the vaca, like little things that happen...IDK. **

**Review!(long reviews and some suggestions would be greatly appreciated :) )**

**-MFFITS**

**P.S. I love you if you know the song in which the title originated.**


	10. Sweet

**A/N: HELLOOOO, I'm back, thank goodness.**

**Okay, so my last chapter , although long and eventful, was full of freaking errors :/ Sorry about that.**

* * *

**Message to EVERYONE who reads: all suggestions were put in consideration, and actually most suggestions are included in the NEXT (not this one) chapter.**

* * *

**Message to X. SilverWind. X : Where was your review last chapter? I like your review, I mean, I always can count on you for one, but BOOM there wasn't one from you.**

* * *

**We'll heres another chapter, I cut it in half, because this was actually long enough to be called a chapter. So enjoy.**

* * *

**CHAPTER TEN - SWEET**

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

Eli remains sitting seemingly uncomfortably on the bed with the cover over his body - for obvious reasons - while I continue to let my inner question stir inside my head before I come right out with it. I furrow my eyebrows slightly at him. "What do you mean 'again', Eli?" I ask, stating my internal question aloud this time. He opens his mouth as if he is going to give me some long answer, but he chokes.

"I-" is all he manages to get out followed by a long pause.

I raise my eyebrows at him. "Well," I say impatiently, waiting for answer as to why he had his arms around me while we were asleep and/or why he grew a freaking boner throughout the night. I mean, any type of answer would be okay right now - a simple _"I had a wet dream, Clare. Sorry",_ or even an _"I don't know"_ would suffice. Just any response would stop my heart from beating so rapidly at this moment. "Well?" I repeat.

He opens his mouth again. "Oh, I, uh," he sputters nervously. "I-I didn't mean about you. By 'again', I meant...you know, in general - it happens. Like _it _just sort of..._happened, _and for no reason. I was asleep. I-I-I had no control over it." He emits a sorrow filled huff, "I'm really really sorry Clare. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. If it makes you feel better, I'll just go back to sleeping on the floor."

With saying this, he slowly removes the cover down off of the upper half of his body, careful not to move it any cover lower, so that his "tent" wouldn't become visible to me again. He grabs a pillow and begins shifting out of the bed.

"Eli," I sigh and he turns to look at me, "I'm not just going to force you out of thee bed just because of that. You can stay here, I guess. Just...Just sleep in the opposite direction this time, and keep your distance. And as for all that," I glance down at Eli's covered midsection. "It never happened."

Eli nods silently at me in understanding and I uneasily climb back into the bed while he eases himself in again, scooting himself further away from me. He rolls over, so he and I now facing back to back.

Glancing up and over to the nightstand beside my side of the bed, I spot the missing remote that I had been searching for earlier before I discovered Eli's member. I roll my eyes, snatch the remote off the stand, and click off the tv.

...

**(Eli's POV)**

The whole group sits at a table in the diningroom for breakfast again. Everything is pretty much the same as yesterday and all is normal. According to Clare and I, last night's incident between her and I never happened. Clare has kindly forgotten about it, and we are back to our fake coupley selves.

So all is the same, but I cant help but notice how distant Vivian is being today. For one, she did not insert herself in the seat next to me when we arrived in the dining room, she decided to take the one on the opposite side of Jake - which is further from me. I've remembered how she always seemed to cling herself closer to me, but ever since she sent and I received that picture and never directly responded to her, she has spaced herself away from me.

I think she's afraid that I might've mentioned her attempt to seduce me through a picture to Clare, so she's trying not to attract attention to herself. I haven't told Clare, and I don't think I'm going to. I don't know, I just don't think I should bring it up.

"So...," Darcy beams. "What are we all doing today?"

Helen shrugs, "I don't know. I didn't really have a group activity planned for today, I guess you guys can feel free to do what you want. But Glen and I are getting a couples massage in an hour - if you guys want to get one, you all can."

I glance over to Peter, whose humming. "Sounds great," he comments with a smile, "I'm in dire need of one. What do you think, Darc?". My eyes flicker over to his spouse who seems less excited about the activity.

"I don't think we should get one," Darcy says honestly. "I really don't want another woman running her hands all over you - especially not when I'm in the room."

Peter grins, "Why? Would it make you jealous?"

Darcy responds, "very" before leaning in to peck Peter on the lips. I have to admit, Darcy and Peter are cute, they aren't annoying like most couples who just can't seem to get enough of each other so are always clinging to their other for dear life, or the couples who have only a physical attraction to each other and make out all the time; they're simple and sweet.

I wonder if Julia and I would be labeled under annoying couples...Most likely, and probably for the second reason.

"How about the rest of you?" Helen questions, "Do you want to come with us, or just hang out for the day?" Jake grabs Vivian's hand and declines Helen's offer to go get the massages and states that they're just going to chill at the beach today, which Darcy and Peter jump at the opportunity to accompany them.

Helen then faces us, Clare and I, and asks again.

Clare shakes her head. "Nah Mom, I don't really want to go either. We're good."

"Are we going to the beach with the others?" I ask, and Clare nods.

...

**(Clare's POV)**

I sit on the bed, applying sunscreen onto my legs while Eli is changing into his beach attire for today's outing. I don't know why I even agreed to go to the beach, it's not like I plan on swimming. I wear my yellow and white stripped bikini underneath a white tank top and jean shorts, I plan on just sitting at the beach and reading a magazine.

_Creak. _My head snaps over to the door as Eli exits. Immediately catching sight of the straw fedora placed on his head, a small smile crosses my face as I reminisce on the day when he had first displayed it to me at my job.

He wears blue swim trunks with white flowers printed on - one of the swimming trunks he also has shown me -, brown sandals, and a big green and white stripped towel that hangs over his forearm.

He glances up at me and asks, "Why aren't you wearing your swim suit?"

I creep my hand up to my shoulder and pop one of my bathing suit straps against my skin, signifying that I do, in fact, have a swimming suit on (but I'm still not gonna need it).

Eli nods, then I quickly toss the bottle of sun screen over to him. He barely catches it with his fingertips before dropping it.

"Next time, catch it." I joke, laughing a little.

"Next time, throw better." Eli shoots back, laughing, too, as he crouches down to pick up the bottle. He sits on the edge of the bed and starts to put the lotion onto his skin. I mentally debate whether I should help him or just let him do this on his own. I mean, it would be sort of awkward for me to...because after the whole thing last night...I don't know.

Eli's hands rub the sunscreen onto his shoulders, then fidget to get his back covered completely. I shake my head softly, then scoot my figure closer to his. "Gimme," I demand and without a second thought he hands me the bottle. I pour the lotion onto my hand and anoint his back with it in the most simplest and least awkwardest way I can.

It takes only 20 seconds to finish and afterward Eli thanks me.

"No problem," I say nonchalantly.

...

**(Eli's POV)**

When we arrive at the beach, everyone careless ditches their towels and bags and dash out to the ocean. I'm walking out to the water until I look back over my shoulder to see Clare spreading out a blue and yellow towel on the sandy ground and plopping herself down. She sits cross-legged on the towel then reaches into her beach bag, she wrenches out a magazine.

_"Oh boy," _I sigh internally, _"this girl is seriously gonna read."_

I change course and walk back over to her. Approaching the girl, I question, "Are you really going to read a magazine on a day like this? At a place like this?" I gesture the beach surrounding us.

Clare looks up at me, squinting her eyes because of the brightness of the sun. She twists her lips and shrugs, "I guess."

"You agreed to go to the beach. What's the point of coming here and wearing a swimsuit if you're not going to even get into the water - what are you going to do, read all day?"

"I'm _not_ just reading, I'm also guarding our things." Clare proclaims, tapping Darcy's bag that lies on the other side of her bag. "See?" she smiles.

I roll my eyes and I state, "Screw the stuff; it'll be safe."

Clare opens her mouth to shoot a rebuttal, but her words are thrown off, because without warning, I bend down, pull her to her feet, then toss he over my shoulder. "Eli," she shrieks as I sweep her up. "Put me down!"

I look around and spot a bunch of people at the beach are now staring at us.

"Shh," I say to Clare, chuckling and walking closer to the water. "Dont scream, Clare; people'll think I'm trying to kill you, or drown you, or something - which I'm not. We're at a beach, it's hot, and I just want to get you wet..."

I stop from continuing my speech any further when I realize how naughty my sentence sounded, and I think Clare caught on, too, because she stays silent - we stay silent for few seconds, then Clare bursts out with laughter.

"Poor choice of words," Clare states, laughing still.

"I know," I chuckle, "but you know what I was trying to say, I just want you to get you to go in the water, even if it is for only 5 seconds." My body is now in the shallow part of the water. The water's level is halfway up my legs. I finally decide to set Clare down. As I place her frame down, I say, "See, not so bad, huh?"

She shakes her head. "No, it's not that bad," she smiles. "But now, that I've _been_ in the water, I can get out now. Bye." She gets a few feet of distance from me, before I jog closer to her, snake my arms around her waist, and pull her back to sea again.

"Oh no you don't," I protest, "you have to stay a bit longer."

"Eli," she squeals, giggling and wiggling to get out of my grip.

As Clare wiggles her body and I pull her back, my foot steps on something semi-sharp in the sand and she and I fall down onto to wet sand. I end up laying on my back against the sand with Clare atop of me. We both let out pained groans.

"Ow," Clare groans, lifting her head up off of my chest. "Sorry Eli."

"It's okay," I sigh with an added smirk. _"It's really, really okay," _I sleazily comment in my head, liking the fact that our bodies are on each other right now.

Suddenly, Clare realizes our closeness and she quickly pushes her body up and off of mine. "I-I'm going back to guarding our things," she announces fastly, rising her feet. "Wouldn't want anyone to take our things."

"I'll go with you." I suggest.

"No-no-no-no, you stay. Stay here - swim."

"There's no fun in swimming if you have no one to swim around with. Plus, I'd love to read _Cosmopolitan _ with you, or whatever magazine that was..."

"_Seventeen,_" Clare blurts.

"Huh?"

"That's the magazine, and I highly doubt you'd want to read it with me."

"Sure I would," I smirk, and Clare give me an odd look before giving up and letting me stay with her.

...

After many _"Who Wore It Better?"_ pictures and a _"Boy Band Comeback"_ article, I get bored of the girly mag and snatch Clare's bag without her knowing, because she's too invested in reading at the moment. In her bag, I sift through until I find something that sparks my interest. _"Sunscreen, sun glasses - ooh la la, phone."_

I swipe her phone and decide it's time for me to be nosy. Not the creepy-jealous-boyfriend nosy, but the I-had-nothing-better-to-do-and-I've-always-wanted-to-go-through-your-phone nosy.

I unlock her phone scroll through her texts. _"Mom. Adam T. Alli B.? Connor D.? K.C. G.? Cassadee W." _I don't recognize half of the people she has texted recently. I open Connor and her's messages just because I don't know who this Connor kid is and he's the only boy name I see.

_"Wait, maybe I am being the creepy-jealous-boyfriend nosy."_

I read their texts - nothing interesting, it was a short conversation, and sounds like they were just catching up on each other. I press back and keep scrolling till I spot my name. I don't remember ever _texting _ Clare. I open the conversation - our last text exchange was just a boat load of texts from her telling me to wake up and that was from friday. I smirk and press back.

Continue down the list, I reach the last recorded message, it was sent from Jackson over a month ago and never deleted. I hesitantly open it and read the one paragraph Jackson had sent Clare that she had never responded to but obviously read.

_Clare, even though I know that you're not going to answer this, because you also havent answered any of my texts or calls lately, I just want you to know I truly am sorry for cheating on you and I DO want us to hopefully get back together. If it makes it any better, I will wait awhile for you until you're ready. I like you, Clare, and I hope you still feel the same. Please text back. Please._

_- Jackson F._

I roll my eyes at the text. That guy is so full of shit! He's a player, and always will be. I wonder why Clare kept this. Was it because it was an apology? A plead to get her back? Or What? I exit out of her messages completely and glance up at her. She still unaware that I am snooping through her cell phone. She just sits there, magazine in hands, and specks of sand on her skin still from when we fell.

I smile at her and open the phone's camera. I take a quick shot of her sitting there reading intently. _Click._ Clare looks up when she hears the clicking sound.

**(Clare's POV)**

I look up from my magazine to see Eli with my phone and taking pictures of me. "What are you doing?" I ask irritatedly.

"Taking pictures of you," he responds before taking another. _Click. _I block me face with the magazine and I hear Eli chuckle.

"Stop," I demand, then explain, "I don't like when people take pictures of me without my consent."

"Well, can I take pictures of you?"

"No."

Eli huffs, "Okay." I roll my eyes and return back to debating whether Rhianna or Charlize Theron wore this particular red dress better. My mind is telling me Charlize, because she made the outfit look safe and stylish, but my heart is chanting Rhianna, because she took a daring chance with it.

Such a hard decision to make...

"Did you really like him?" I hear Eli's voice ask me, I glance up and behold a picture of Jackson and I huddled close together, sitting on a park bench. His arms around me and we're both smiling. We both seem happy, we bother were happy.

I shrug at Eli's question. "Can you give me my phone?" I inquire, and he hands it to me. I should have deleted these pictures like the rest. Without hesitation, I delete the picture and make sure there's no others that I have forgotten to obliterate from my SD card.

I hand my phone back to Eli. He looks down and furrows his brows. "Why'd you delete it?"

I shrug once again. "Just seemed like something I should do, or should've done."

"Here's a different picture," Eli smirks, scooting closer to me, "one of you and your new - although fake - boyfriend. Smile." I reluctantly smile into the camera as he takes another digital picture. One of both of us this time. He scans the picture that he and I have just taken. "Perfect," he comments, smiling at the picture then over to me.

I unknowingly roll my eyes then bite my lip. _"Eli__'s sweet," _I internally swoon.

* * *

**A/N: My apologies if this chapter isn't well liked - which I doubt - , or if it has errors, I just really wanted to update ASAP.**

**Reviews are greatly appreciated, they tell me whether all of you like or dislike where I am going with this story.**

**I hope you all had a merry merry christmas...1 2 3. 3! days ago. I...did not. Well yes I did. OH WELL happy new years in 1 2 3. 3! days. Hopefully I'll have the other chapter up by then.**

**-MFFITS**

**P.S. Review :}**


	11. These Are My Confessions

**A/N: 147 reviews, 38 favorites, and 78 mutha fluffin' followers. Mmm, I love you guys so much and I wish I could thank all of you personally! BUT THANK YOU virtually! This is my most popular story yet! I'm super happy!**

**I told you guys I couldn't combine this chapter and last chapter because it'd been too long.**

**But here's the stupid chapter - I actually don't think it sucks like I do some other chapters. **

**Oh and things are gonna move really fast in this chap I think.**

**WARNING: By popular demand, Eli goes for it!**

**Enjoy (I know you will)**

* * *

**CHAPTER ELEVEN - THESE ARE MY CONFESSIONS** _(teehee)_

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

Eli and I take two more photos before he's decides he's done playing photographer. One of us making silly faces into the camera and one where his fedora is slantedly placed on top of my of my head and we're both laughing at the same time.

He examines the last photo and smirks, "Now I can see what everyone's talking about - we do look good together."

I giggle lightly at his statement, then remove the straw fedora off of my head. "Yeah...right," I respond sarcastically, then question, "Are you done now? You know, taking pictures and all."

Still looking at my phone, Eli nods, "Uh, yeah. I guess we're done." He lifts his head up and shines me the photo for a second. The glimpse I catch of the image looks nice, we look as if we're a real couple, happily in love and having a fun day on the beach. I find my lips creating a small smile.

He exits out then hands me my phone. As I carelessly put the phone back in my bag, Eli hesitantly asks, "You wanna go get something to eat?"

"Um...eat, like food?" I say unsure, "Uh, Eli, it's kind of too hot to want something..._hot_, don't you think?"

Eli shakes his head, grinning "No, I was thinking something more along the lines of cold. Like we could go get ice cream, or frozen yogurt, or something."

"Oh, yeah that sounds good."

"Okay," Eli beams, smirking. He pushes his body up to stand, extends out his arm towards me, and gestures for me to take his hand so he can help me up. "C'mon, let's go. We'll go get some ice cream somewhere and then come back." he explains as I grab his hand and he pulls me to my feet.

Once I'm up, I let go of my hold on his hand. "Thanks." I say. I reach down and pick up my beach bag that contains my wallet. I glance at the others' things and ask, "Wait, what about their stuff? I'm still supposed to be watching-"

Eli interrupts me. "Clare, It'll be okay," he assures. "Dont worry about it." After saying that, I just decide that Eli is right and I nod. "Okay," he sighs, slipping back on his sandals. "Let's go, Sweetie."

I roll my eyes yet again. "Okay Honey." I tease.

Eli chuckles, "Mmm, I like honey - I think I like that name."

...

**(Eli's POV)**

Clare and I walk into this little ice cream shop. It took us two pedestrians to point us in the right direction to a location that sells ice cream and roughly 25 minutes before finding said ice cream place the pedestrians were talking about.

On the way here, Clare and I both saw other places that were selling snow cones or cold drinks. I would have settled for any one of those, but Clare seemed to have her heart set on ice cream, so she told me to ignore the temptations of flavored ice and Pepsi, and to just keep searching for a place that sells frozen dairy products.

Clare and I enter inside the building and are immediately welcomed with an oddly sweet smell and a greeting from the bright-eyed brunette-haired woman standing behind the counter. We render her brief and hospitable waves. I scan the area, above the counter the of which the lady is behind is a large menu of what they serve and also a couple of pictures of nicely decorated deserts - ice cream, smoothies, cakes, everything. And at the counter the lady is behind, I spot a variety of ice cream flavors and toppings behind the glass.

I really want some ice cream now.

Clare must do too, because she snatches my hand and drags me over to the counter. "Hello," Clare greets the brunette.

"Hello," the brunette replies, smiling, "do you know what you'd like?"

Clare tilts her head up and stares at the menu - at all of her choices. I notice her bite down on her bottom lip concentration/frustration and I smirk at her mentally making her decision. Every time she bites down on her lip, I just think it's the cutest thing ever. Suddenly, she looks back down at the brunette employee. "I'll take the strawberry shortcake sundae thingy."

"Wow, the 'strawberry shortcake sundae thingy'?" I say, cheesing at Clare. "That's not its proper name."

Clare nudges me. "Shut up, Eli. She knows what I mean." Clare glances back to the brunette. "Right?" The lady nods and Clare looks back over at me. "See." Clare chimes and I rolls my eyes, accepting the fact that she was, in fact, correct.

"And for you, Sir?" The brunette asks, directing her question at me. I look up at the menu and make a quick decision based off of the most appealing image I see on the board of a sundae covered in fudge.

I point to the picture and the lady glances back. "I'll take that fudge sundae thingy," I rejoin, mocking Clare's earlier stated answer.

In response to my choice, the brunette nods and Clare slaps my shoulder not to hardly. "Very funny, Eli."

I fake wince at the non-existant pain. "Oww," I whine, smiling. "Do you _see_ how she abuses me?" I ask jokingly to the brunette employee, pointing my thumb over to the side and at Clare.

"I am not!" Clare gasps and I laugh.

The woman nods lightly and snickers, "You two are a cute couple."

I thank the girl, then I look over to Clare, put my arm around her shoulder, and say, "The people love us, Clare."

...

**(Clare's POV)**

The woman finishes making our sundae and sets the on top of the counter. "That'll be $7.90." she states and Eli grabs his fudgey sundae.

I begin to sift through her bag, then sigh, "Well, I guess I'll pay for this-"

"No you dont," Eli interjects and I glance up from my bag to look at him. He then asks the brunnette for two spoons. She nods and places two white plastic spoons on the counter. He picks up on spoon, scoops a small chunk of my ice cream up, and tells me, "My wallets in there, I tossed it in your bag before we left the hotel. I'm gonna pay for this."

I shake my head. "Eli, it's no big deal. I'll pay for this."

"No," Eli protests, "boyfriends dont let girlfriends pay."

"...Some do." I reply, thinking back on incidents with past boyfriends. When I had dated Jackson, I paid his way into a movie once - but he paid me back - , and with Fitz, I had paid for...everything.

"Yeah," Eli agrees, then smirks, "But not good ones."

...

Eli and I are walking back to the beach after just had eaten ice cream and thrown away our empty cartons. We approach our group. Darcy and the rest look as if they had just gotten out of the water, they are dripping wet and drying themselves off with the towels they had brung.

"Where'd you two run off two?" Darcy questions, smiling at us as she rings out her long brown hair.

"Ice cream." I state.

"And you two didn't think to get us any?!" Jake asks loudly.

"Sorry," I apologize with a rude tone in my voice. "We didn't know if you guys wanted any. Plus, even if we had brought back some, it would've all probably melted by the time we got back."

Darcy nods, "Yeah Jake, they were gone a long time, so most likely it would've. But if you want ice cream, I think they serve some back at the hotel."

"Okay," Jake says, "I'll get some back at the hotel."

"Do any of you have the time?" Vivian asks out of the blue. I reach into my bag and pull out my cell phone and check the time.

"2:58," I announce.

"We've been out here for almost two hours now."

"Yeah, I think we should start heading back to the hotel."

We all begin packing up our things and start the walk back to the Marriot.

...

**(Eli's POV)**

We're all walking back to the hotel. Vivian, Darcy, and Clare are walking in front of Jake, Peter, and I, and I think I speak for all of us when I say that we all like our girl's asses, because we sure as hell are staring at them. Sure, Clare's not my girl-girl, but she is my fake one for about four more days and I think I deserve to be able to stare.

Cant touch, but I can gaze.

I mean, I'll take what I can get. Right?

So as we all continue to drool over the figures of our girlfriends, I am bumped into by, or I bump into some Hawaiian girl. She drops her purse. "Shit," I curse, crouching down to help her pick up the items her bag had contained while the others continue walking. "Sorry about that Miss."

"No, it okay - not your fault." She denies, standing back up from picking up the spilled contents of her bag. I stand up too and hand her her lip gloss and keys. "Thank you." she smiles seductively at me as she brushes a lock of hair behind her ear.

"No problem,"

"I-I didn't hurt you did I?" she asks concern sounding, placing a hand on me arm.

I shake my head. "N-no, I'm okay."

"Mmm, I don't think you are. If you have any problems, I think you should call me - I'm a nurse. You know, I can help you out." _Wink._

When the girl adds a wink at the end of her sentence, I figure out what she is doing - or trying to do. Flirt. "No," I decline, "Miss, I guarantee I'm not hurt in any way, shape, or form."

"I insist that you take my number just in case. You can call anytime. _Anytime._"

"Miss, I'm flattered, but I sort of have a girlfriend, so...yeah. But thank you for...yeah... Bye." I wave "bye" to the lady and rotate back to catch up with the guy, but turns out they were waiting on me. I jog up to them.

"What was that?" Peter questions.

"Nothing," I lie.

...

We're standing outside of an elevator in the hotel, waiting for it do become available for our use. _Ding. _The elevator doors open up to us and the girls all enter inside. I wait for them to go in because _ladies first _ is the motto. Once the women are all in first, I start to trot inside the elevator. Suddenly, two rough hands are placed on my shoulders and pull me back.

"No, Eli, Buddy," Jake grins, "I think we should take a separate one. To talk."

I flicker my eyes nervously at Clare who raises her eyebrows as she shrugs her shoulders and shakes her head. I gulp as the elevator doors close and the girls go up, now leaving me with Jake and Peter - who are now scaring the shit out of me.

_"What do they want to 'talk' about," _I wonder.

In silence, we wait for the next elevator to become available. A couple of seconds later, one opens up. Its empty. We saunter in.

"See Eli," Peter starts, pushing the button labeled "21". "Heres the thing..."

The doors close, igniting a _ding _ and my panick. _"What is this?" I question internally, "Twenty-one Floors of Intimidation?"_

Peter continues, "Clare is our little sister - blood or not - , we love her, and we'd hate to see her upset or hurt, and by that, we don't want to _you _ to be the cause of her distress."

"What do you mean," I ask confusedly. "Why would I cause her distress?"

Peter lets out a deep sigh and says, "Eli, I think you - and _everyone else _- has noticed how many girls have come on to you since we've been here."

"No they havent." I deny, knowing that what I am denying is absolutely true.

"Eli, it's quite obvious," Jake states. "Girls are hitting on you left and right. Like that blond waitress that served us on the first night, or that Hawaiian chick - you know the one who just bumped into you and asked for your number."_ They heard all that? "_Hell, there's probably even more girls that have hit on you that we don't even know about."

_"Like Vivian," _I mentally add. I take a step back and say, "If you two heard me with that girl out there you'd know that I didn't give her my number."

"Yes we know," Peter assures me. "You may have turned _her_ down, but what if another random girl came up to you and threw herself at you. Would you say no?"

"Yes." I answer surely.

"Are you sure?" Jake questions. "Cause if a girl was down to sex with me, I'd sure as hell say 'yes' without hesitation - unless if she was like... _brutally_ ugly, or...like old. Yeah, I don't fuck grannies."

I snicker, and harshly Peter says, "Jake! You're getting off topic."

"Sorry," Jake timidly apologizes.

Peter rolls his eyes, then exhales, "The point we're trying to get across, here, is that you better not let yourself roam around while you're dating our sister, Goldsworthy. Not even your eyes are allowed to wander.

"If you do cheat on Clare - which would be a pretty stupid move on your part, because you being warned right now - and we, Jake and I, find out about your infidelity, we will have no other choice but to kick your ass."

With saying that, I cannot hold my laughter - I cannot really take anything seriously. Laughing, I ask, "You two are joking, right?" Upon Jake and Peter's faces are nothing but seriously stern looks. My laughter ceases. "Oh, you two are serious?"

"Like a heart attack," Peter replies. "We really will kick your ass if you hurt her - in any way."

"Yeah," Jake agrees. "We're still trying to figure out what Jackson did for Clare to break up with him, so we can debate whether we need to pay him a little surprise visit. But for now, we're clueless and don't know much about that. But what we do know is that you and our sister are currently dating, and you seem to be attracting a lot of attention to yourself from females, and we don't like it."

I sigh, "Listen guys, I have no intention - none at all - of hooking up with any other girls as long as I know that Clare and I are together. I respect her way too much to even dare think of doing that to her.

"I know, you know, everyone knows, that Clare is an amazing girl. She's - she's super smart, and-and beautiful, and I...really, really,_ really_ like her. A lot. And I wouldn't even allow myself to jeopardize the relationship I have with her over some girl who just happens to hit on me. Clare's just way too special for me to want to lose... Actually, I think I...I-"

I cut myself off in the middle of my speech and sigh, before I say something that might impact this whole elevator. By this time, Peter and Jake are both staring at me in what seems to be admiration. Admiration of my words? Admiration of my feelings toward Clare?

Peter nods softly, "No need to go any further, we understand - you really like her."

I nod in response. "I really do..."

_Ding._

...

Clare and I sit on the floor at the foot of Glen and Helen's bed in their room. Everyone is inside their room. It around 8 p.m. and we decided to stay in for the night and just watch movie. Glen, Helen, Peter and Darcy are all on the bed, Jake and Vivian are lapped up on the sofa chair in the room, and Clare and I - the kind couple we are - have willingly taken the floor due to the lack of available space left on the bed.

So we've been chilling here in Clare's parent's room, eating pizza and watching movies. So far, we have seen _The Vow, _which made Clare tear up - Chick Flick, but sort of good even through a male's eyes - , and now we are in the middle of _Just Go With It_ which is kind of ironic because Clare and I are in the same predicament right now.

But other than she pretending to be my wife, so I can score some young girl, I am pretending to be her boyfriend, so she can get her Mom off her back.

I hope we end up like the couple in this movie (I've seen this, and I like it's ending).

As we're watching the movie, I notice that Clare's head is resting on my shoulder. She's not sleep, just leaning. _"This is perfect," _I smile to myself and continue to watch the movie. Suddenly, my ringtone goes off, and really loudly might I add. Clare jumps and backs away from me. I curse to myself, wishing my phone had been silent, so Clare would've continued lying there.

"Sorry," I apologize to everyone, and the movie pauses. I wrench my phone out of my pocket and glance down at the screen. It's Adam. I answer the phone, "Hey Adam."

"Hi Adam," Everyone in the room shouts, for a second I forget that they all actually know him - except Vivian.

_"Hey Eli," Adam greets. "Tell everyone I say 'hi'." _

"Adam says 'hi'," I announce to the entire room. I push myself to my feet and begin walking to the door. "You guys can press play, I'll be right back." I open the door and here the movie playing again. I go out into the hall. "Hey Adam." I greet again.

_"Mmm, were you having fun?" Adam asks._

"Yeah, I actually am."

_"Clare tell you about Fitz?"_

"As much as she thought I needed to know, yes."

_"That's good. It's nice to know she trusts you well enough to tell you that."_

"Yeah..." I sigh.

_"Anything wrong Eli? Y-you don't sound like yourself."_

"No," I say shaking my head, "nothings wrong with me, I just...I just-"

_"Just what? Spit it out already!"_

"I just think you we're right."

_"Right about what?" _

"Me liking her. And oh God don't I like her...a lot at that."

_Adam chuckles, "Why are you telling me this - I fucking knew that already. Shouldn't you be telling her this?"_

"Okay," I smile, "I'll tell her right after the movie's over. Bye Adam."

_"Bye Eli, and good luck."_

I hang up the phone and go back into the room.

...

Once the movie is finished, everyone is extremely tired, but not me, I am too hype about confessing my feelings to Clare to be tired. We all disperse ourselves, going back to our separate rooms. Clare stands out our door, sliding her passkey in to unlock the door, but I grab her hand and drag her away from the door.

"Woe, where are we going?" she questions.

"Dont ask," I demand, glancing back to give her a smirk. "Just follow me."

...

It took us about 7 minutes to arrive at the location of my choice. We're at the beach - romantic, right? I'm just going to tell her during a night walk on the beach. "What's the whole point of taking me out here, Eli?" Clare asks, giggling.

I take a deep breath before speaking. "I-I wanted to talk to you about what happened earlier."

Clare raises her eyebrows. "And you thought the beach would be the right setting for us to discuss your night boner. Eli, I said that I'd act like it never happened."

I shake my head and "But it did - and no, Clare, I'm not here to talk about it. I want to talk to you bout why it happened. See Clare, I-.I, um...I-"

Suddenly losing my ability to speak anymore, I look down at the sand, then back up at Clare. "I-" I choke, and before I know it, my body decides to speak for me. My hands latch onto her waist, and I drive her closer to me until her chest is pressed up against mine.

Clare's head is tilted up at me and she looks surprised by my action. "Eli, what are you doing?" she questions. I don't answer her vocally, knowing that my next move would answer her question. I lean my head down a couple of inches and kiss her.

But not a peck like we've done before, but _a real kiss._

* * *

**A/N: I love having absolute control - absolute POWER - over this story. It makes me feel good knowing I can do what ever I want with this story and you guys cant bitch about it because I can do what I want** :}_(with saying that, you guys might hate me for the beginning of the next chapter)_

**Special thanks to x. imagine. x for the intimidation idea, I hope it's to your liking, I tried my best. And another thanks to everyone who said they should go to the beach - duh!**

**Forever, you guys are awesome.**

**Reviews make my day, so MAKE MY DAY!**

**-MFFITS**


	12. Claraphernelia

**A/N: Here's a New Year's Eve present, a new and quickly updated chapter.**

_Mmmm, I hate this chapter so much.._

**Warning: ALL ELI POV & a shorter-than-I've-been-writing chapter.**

**And I did not really re-read this :/**

**enjoy, or not.**

* * *

**CHAPTER TWELVE - CLARAPHERNELIA**

* * *

**(Eli's POV)**

I stand on the beach with Clare; my arms wrapped around her waist and I'm delivering the most passionate kiss I can muster up without her responding. But after a few seconds of getting over her shock, she finally returns the action. One of her hands places itself on my bicep while the other travels to the back of my neck. She uses that hand to pull me deeper into the kiss. Roughly 15 seconds pass and I hear her release a pleasure filled moan in the back of her throat.

I do an internal smirk, _"This is a good sign - I guess she likes this. I guess she feels the same about me." _Not even ten seconds, I hear another moan, and I smirks against her lips, then continue kissing her. This feels good - this feels right.

I go further into the kiss.

Another moan emits from her when I try to slip my tongue through her lips. But that's the time I realize she's not moaning at enjoyment of the kiss, but she's moaning because she's trying to talk. And if she trying to talk, that means she doesn't like it.

Clare removes her hand from the back of my neck and moves it to my other bicep. She renders me a gentle push and pulls her face away from mine, but I'm persistent to not end the kiss. I wrap my arms tighter around her waist and dive deeper in the kiss. Against my lips, she whines, "Eli,...Eli stop."

But I don't.

"Eli," her voice becomes louder. "Eli stop!" She pushes again. I come to terms that she wants me to stop, so I do, no matter how much I don't want to. I let go of her waist as I lift my head to scan her face; she has an expression of shocked mixed with anger.

"What the hell was that?!" she asks loudly. The volume of her voice causes me to jump a little. I open my mouth, but I'm too afraid to speak, so I don't answer her harsh question. I just stand there with my mouth slightly open, unable to get any words out. Clare shakes her head in disbelief as she scoffs and backs away from me. She rotates around and begins walking away from me.

"Clare!" I call out - surprised at my ability to finally say something and readying myself to chase after her.

Glaring back at me, she demands for me to leave her alone. Then, she takes off, and I don't dare follow her. She requested space, so that's what I'm going to give her. Clare disappears into the night, leaving me on the dark beach alone.

"God, Eli," I mutter to myself, exhaling deeply and running my fingers through my hair, "you're such an idiot!"

I plop myself down onto the sand and wait. Wait a while to think. Give _myself_ time to clear her head of what just happened here, because for the first time I, Eli Goldsworthy, had just been shot down - _and oh boy did it hurt._

...

Twenty minutes later, I arrive back to the hotel and am standing outside of Clare and I's room, having a mental argument/conversation with my conscience on whether I should enter into the room or not. _"Go in there, Eli,"_ my conscience demands boldly, but I mentally rebuttal, _"No, I can't face Clare."_ And I really don't think I can. I'm too afraid to see her again, I cannot stand to see the girl I really like mad at me, and I don't want to have her yell at me.

_"Go in there," _my conscience hisses, "_I mean you'll have to eventually...You should just do it now and get the talk over with. You can walk in and tell her the truth, give her some long speech, spilling youre guts out. But __Apologize f__irst, then spill your guts out to her. I doubt she'll be mad at you after all of this. She'll understand, then make her decision about whether she wants to be with you or not. If she does, that good, and if she doesn't you must respect her choice and not be mad, because after all you don't want to lose her as a friend, do you?"_

I sigh and decide my conscience is right, I need to open this door and talk to Clare. No matter the turnout, I would still like to be her friend after all of this. I pull my passkey out of my pocket and unlock the door.

"Clare, I-" I cut myself off when I notice that she's not in the room. I shut the door begin scoping the area for her. I take myself to the bathroom, she's not in there._ "Where is she?" _I wonder.

As I exit out of the bathroom, I grab my phone out of my pocket and call Clare.

_Ring...Rin- "Hi, you've reached Clare, I couldn't get to the phone right now, but I'll call you back when I get the chance." _

_Beeeep. _

I hang up the phone after her answering machine goes off. Clare got my call, and she declined it. She really doesn't want to talk to me. But we will have to eventually. But for now, I'll wait. I slip off my sandals off by the dresser and walk towards the bed. Knowing that when Clare gets back she's not going to want to share the same bed with me, I strip the thin white cover off, and I take it, myself, and a pillow to the floor.

...

_Knock. Knock. Knock_.

This sound of clacking on the door drums me out of my sleep. I slowly open my eyes and sit myself up. I release a yawn, then glance at the bed - empty. I sigh. I guess Clare didn't come back. Suddenly, I notice that the bed was not how I had left when I had removed a few articles to make myself a sleeping area on the floor, the bed was messier. That must mean that Clare had been back, and she had slept here.

I do a mental sigh of relief, happy to know that Clare hadn't resorted to sleeping out elsewhere just to avoid seeing me again.

_Knock. Knock. Knock. _

Maybe that's her at the door! But wait, doesn't she have her passkey?

"Eli," Peter's voice sounds through the door, and I lose my hope that behind the door was Clare. "C'mon, get dressed, we're all about to go downstairs to get breakfast."

"Okay!" I call out, and there's no response. Peter must've left. I realize he only called out my name, so that must mean that Clare is with the others now. She must've slept here, got ready before I woke up, then left.

I sluggishly rise to my feet and make my way to the bathroom to get ready for breakfast.

...

I arrive in the dining room last. Everyone were already sitting down and talking, no one had gotten their food yet. There's an empty seat that was next to Clare, I doubt she wants me to sit there, but for the sake of our fake relationship, she's going to have to let me.

Approaching the table, I am spotted by Helen, erupting in a roar of greetings from everyone at the table, except Clare. She doesn't even dare to look up at me. I can tell she's pretty upset with me. I wave to the group and take the seat next to Clare.

Once I set, Clare moves her chair further away from mine. I unknowingly let out a low scoff/sigh, then my eyes scan the faces of the people at the table. Unsure if anyone had seen what Clare had just did. Across the table, I spot Peter shooting me a glare, and beside me, Jake is doing the same. They noticed.

Jake quietly hisses, "What'd you do?"

I shake my head. "Nothing as bad as you or Peter probably think," I answer. "Don't worry about it, I promised not to hurt her, and I haven't. She's just...just...Dont worry, I'll fix it." I turn to Clare who is drinking her cup of orange juice through a straw. I lean over towards her.

"Clare," I whisper, "can I talk to you?"

"No." She rejoins sternly in a whisper as well.

"I'm really really sorry about la-"

She cuts me off and says, "No. We're not talking about this, Eli - at least not here."

I quit, I stop trying to apologize, and I just continue with breakfast. We all order our food from the waiter, eat, and talk - minus Clare and I.

...

I stand behind Clare as she opens our door to the room. She pushes the door open the door and walks in. I follow in after her, shutting the door behind me. I walk further into the room and eye Clare putting her phone on the charger. She looks up at me. "Okay, go," She says, irritatedly. "Explain why you had spontaneously kissed me last night."

I sigh, before speaking, hoping I don't choke up, yet again. "Clare," I breathe. "Clare, I'm so sorry. I don't know know what I was thinking last night, I-I just...jus-"

Clare interrupts me. "Just what," she seethes. "Eli, you just kissed me last night, and what for, huh? We're you like _lonely_, or something? And-and you just missed having Julia so much that you thought you needed someone, and so you thought you'd try me out or something - see if I'd work for a while until Julia got back. Eli, you're so-"

I have to cut Clare off now, I need to get my side out before she goes into a full on rant. "Clare what are you talking about?" I question. "It's n-not like that - not like that at all. I kissed you because I _like _you, not just because I wanna sleep with you."

"You-you can't just kiss me because you _think _you like me," Clare yells, her face reddening. "You're dating Julia, Eli! That's cheating."

"Not if I break up with her it's not."

"You guys have been dating way too long for you to want to break up with her over," Clare gestures us. "over this - over whatever you _think_ we have. Whatever you _think_ you feel."

"I don't think - I know that I like you! I've always liked you Clare, and you're fucking stupid if you haven't noticed that yet... I-I agreed to come on this trip with you ,because I cared about you that much and I didn't want to see you hurt. And I also thought that if I was here, you'd get to know me a little better, and then maybe realize that you felt the same. And after the day we had yesterday, I thought you were coming around, possibly developing some feelings toward me."

I release another breath, then walk closer to Clare and grab her hand. "See Clare, I've liked you from the moment I met you and I always wanted us to be together. And as for Julia, I'd break things off with her in a heartbeat just to be with you. I want to be with you. And I don't think, I know."

My hearts racing right now in all of this truth. I'm waiting for Clare's response, but she just staring at me in seemingly utter shock.

I want her to say she feels the same as I.

I want her to want me as much as I want her.

I want her to just say something already...

She glances down at her shoes, then up at me. Tears are filling up in her eyes. I'm not sure whether thats a good sign or a bad one. Either she's going to tell me she feels the same way, or she's going to break my heart. _"Please don't let it be the second one,"_ I mentally pray.

Clare sniffs and shakes her head lightly. "I-I," Clare stutters.

"You what?" I question, desperately wanting her to spit it out already.

Slipping her hand out of mine, she says, "I have to go." She brushes passed me and goes out of the door.

* * *

**A/N: and that concludes the chapter.**

**Yeah, yeah, yeah, told you guys it sucked. MAJORLY SUCKISH. [sigh] I originally had a diff idea, but then I ran with this idea. I know you guys are probably upset that eclare aren't together, but don't worry they will be eventually.**

**Um, omg, just wait for the luau in the next chapter - I got plans, and oh boy don't I got plans. SHIT GOES DOWN. Well I mean it should. I have to write it first. :S**

**Hey, you guys should review!**

**-MFFITS**

**P.S. Before I forget, yet again, this story was inspired by the movie Just Go With It. I had forgotten to say that in my authors note last chapter considering I incorporated that movie in my story.**

**P.P.S. If you know what song from which my title was created off of, I will love you forever for having such great music taste. (I always wanted to use that name in a fan fic somehow)**


	13. Luaus & Love pt1

_**First chapter of the new yearrrrr ^-^**_

_**Happy 2013 (4 days ago)!**_

**A/N: I don't really know how I feel about how I had wrote this chapter, but I had someone (Rojjy) look over most of it and she said it was good, so I shall post it. :)**

**Warning: This chapter may be a bit confusing, but you'll understand it. Clare's feelings are a bit jumbled, I write it how I feel at times...so it's a bit - NO, a lot! - confusing.**

**But here it is anyways...**

* * *

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN - LUAUS & LOVE PT. 1**

**(Eli's POV)**

As soon as Clare exits the room, it only takes me a few seconds to decide that I need to go after her this time. I cannot let her get away again, I needed an answer from her, and running away every time I make an attempt to be with her was not one. All she had to do was give me some type of response stating where that left our relationship.

She could give me a "yes", an answer that would make me probably the happiest guy on the island, or a "no", an answer that would break my heart, but also an answer that I would be forced to accept, because it is what she wants, or _doesn't _want?

Or she can give me a "maybe", I'll even take that, it shows me that I at least have a chance.

I sigh and jog back to the door. I open it step out into the hall. I look to the right and spot Clare already inside the elevator. "Clare wait!" I holler and she looks up. The doors begin to close and I begin jogging towards the elevator, praying I can make it to her before they shut completely.

"I'll see you at the luau, Eli." Clare says softly, before the metal doors come together and she descends. My jogging comes to a halt; that was it for me, I had concluded that Clare did not feel the same way about me or even feel something for me at all. The quick escape she had just made was basically her saying "no".

Becoming overwhelmingly depressed at the moment, I drag myself back to the room and decide to rant my feelings to Adam. I whip out my phone and dial his number. As his phone rings, I eye Clare's phone on the stand next to the bed - she had left it. It's lighting up, but I don't dare touch it, especially not if she's mad at me already.

After about the fourth ring, the call is sent straight to voice mail. I groan and hang up. I fall onto the bed, my face burying itself into the sheets. I can barely breathe through the fabric, but I don't really care, I feel like dying right now.

I feel really crappy. Clare had ran away from me yet again, lowering my self-esteem greatly, and I just needed to express my feelings to someone; I needed to talk to Adam; I need my best friend.

Suddenly, I feel a brief vibration in my hand. I lift my head up and scan the phone in my hand.

**Adam: Sorry. At work. Can't talk, but I can text. What's up?**

I release a sigh, then I begin to type him back.

**Eli: I feel shitty and rejected :| I told Clare and now she hates me.**

**Adam: Huh? Did she say no to you?! :o**

**Eli: Pretty much :/**

**Adam: Woe... well that's a first. But are you okay though?**

**Eli: Honestly, I'm not. I really did like Clare and I'm now I'm upset cause she basically turned me down.**

**Adam: Oh, sorry. What'd you say to her?**

**Eli: Yesterday, nothing. When I tried to, my tongue sort of got tied and I really couldn't talk to tell her how I felt, so I just kissed her. And he kissed me back for a few seconds, then stopped. She ended up running away from me. And now this morning, I just literally poured my heart out to her, and she left again! And never gave me an answer.**

**Adam: Ugh, Eli ... idk about Clare right now. I guess I'll talk to her for you. I'll call her on my break or when I get back home.**

**Eli: I doubt you'll reach her considering she left her phone in the hotel room.**

**Adam: Oh, well maybe she'll come around later. She probably just doesn't want to break you and Julia up.**

**Eli: What?! Screw Julia and I! She and I are wrong together, and everyone knows it. Idk why I never broke up with her, we don't have ANYTHING common. All we do is go out and fuck, we have no other connection keeping us together other than that we both like sex. And I even told Clare I'd break up with Julia.**

**Adam: Lol. Maybe she doesn't want to feel like she's the reason for you and Julia's breakup. Like a home wrecker or something?**

**Eli: But she wouldn't be if I wanted her more, right? So should I still break up with Julia?**

**Adam: Sure if that's what you really want to do, but I honestly don't think it'll change Clare's mind. Sorry, man.**

**Eli: Yeah, it's okay. I guess I'll just not bother to end things with Julez. I'll just wait for Clare to come back and I'll apologize to her.**

**Adam: Okay, that's good, because I still need you two to be my friends and I don't want you two feeling uncomfortable by each other because of this. I want us all to stay the same :) But Eli, I g2g. Bye.**

**Eli: Bye.**

I exit out of our conversation and toss my phone to the side.

...

**(Clare's POV)**

I'm standing outside Eli and I's hotel room with the passkey in my hand.

In the elevator earlier, I had figured out that I had forgotten to take my phone with me after I had made my dash out of the room, but I just didn't want to go back; I needed to think about what had just taken place in the room and calm down, so for possibly six hours, I did some confused wandering around the island. I went to a nearby shopping area and bought two bracelets from this boutique with some cash I had on me, then - just to pass some time - I walked all the way to that little ice cream shop Eli and I had visited yesterday and spent the remainder of my money on the strawberry thing I had the other day. The brunette who was working there yesterday, had been there today. She smiled at me and as I was paying her, she asked where my boyfriend was, and I lied and told her he was still at the hotel. Which now that I think about it, wasn't really a lie, Eli _was _at the hotel, but I wasn't as cheerful as I may have sounded.

After I got ice cream, I roamed across the beach, then went back to the hotel; I sat at Kuhio Beach Grill's bar on the third floor. I sat there for hours continuing to drink some fruity and _nonalcoholic_ beverage over and over and over again, charging it to Glen's tab.

I desperately didn't want to face Eli again, afraid he'd be angry at me for running out on him once again. And honestly, I'm mad at myself, I don't understand why I do things like this! I had questioned Eli's feelings for me, but in his eyes, I could tell that he was telling the truth; he _did _want to be with me. But as stupid as I am, I fled from him.

Yesterday was amazing and in all honesty, I did find myself getting lost in Eli and liking him more than I ever had, possibly falling for him. So when he kissed me last night, I was into it for a split second - savoring the kiss -, then pushed him away because what he was doing with me was in complete disrespect of his relationship with Julia.

But this morning, Eli had got as truthful as he could get, and he said that he had always wanted to be with me, and I dumbly pushed him away again.

I really don't know what the fuck is wrong with me, my brain and body are all so stupid when I'm talking to Eli now. Forcing me to react differently than I want to just out of nervousness. They make me say and do stupid things I don't mean to.

Wrong words come out and I do dumb things - like run away.

It all feels weird, like I'm just so nervous about just being around him now that I know this, and for some reason, I just can't tell him how I fell too.

When we were at breakfast, I came of as standoff-ish and hateful. I was just confused about what had happened last night and I didn't want to cause an unwanted scene in the diningroom. But when we had arrived at the room and before Eli confessed how he felt, I couldn't help but say things that questioned what he claimed to be feeling, or phrases that made me seem to mean or spiteful, and as if I don't even like him.

Sure, I was skeptical about his intentions at first, but after he spilled it all out to me, there was no doubt in my mind that he had like me. I just wish I could finally say or do the right thing this time to make my true feelings known this time.

I take a deep breath then use my passkey to unlock the door. I slowly open the door, dreading expression Eli'll have on his face when he sees me. I open the doo completely and I spot Eli on the bed watching tv. He glances at me, then back to the television. He clicks it off and I have a miniheart attack; he's mad.

"Eli..." I start, preparing myself to tell him how I feel now. "I-"

Eli cuts me off. "It's okay, Clare," he states, looking over to me, "no need to tell me. I know."

"You do?" I ask confusedly. _How could he know?_

He sits up on the bed and swings his feet to hang off the edge. "Yes, I do. And look, I'm not mad or upset anymore by your decision; I'm accepting the fact that you don't feelings for me like I have for you, and I'll get over my crush sooner or later now that I know this."He releases a sigh, then stands up and says, "I'm sorry for kissing you, Clare, and putting you in this position; I'm dating Julia and I shouldn't have made you felt like you were coming between us. Even though you weren't really getting between us considering I liked you first, and Julia and I's relationship is bogus anyway. I mean, I would've broken up with her eventually, but I still don't want you to think it's your fault. So if it's okay with you, can we still be friends?"

_"Friends?" _I mock internally, _"No, I don't want to be your 'friend' - I want to be more!"_

"Sure," I hear myself say aloud, and God, am I hating myself right now.

Eli's lips crease a smile. "Thank you, Clare." He beams, hugging me, then suddenly pulling away. "Sorry."

...

**(Eli's POV)**

"You look great," Darcy squeals to Clare, complimenting her in the yellow dress she was wearing, and I had to agree with Darcy - Clare did look great, but I could never tell her that because she might just think I was being perverted and trying to hit on her again because her dress attracts attention to her bust, but she really does look nice.

We're all sitting at a round table out at the Paoakalani Outdoor Pool area. The staff had closed the pool earlier today so they could set up and decorate it for tonight's festivities, the luau, covering the pool with a hard cover so it's okay for people to stand on.

So far, this night has been fun, we've eaten tons of food and watched Hawaiian dancers and fire breathers perform - which was awesome -, and now, the announcer is encouraging everyone to get rise out of their seats and dance.

Our entire table disappears into the crowd of other dancing guests - except Clare and I.

"Clare, don't you want to dance?" I ask.

She shakes her head. "No, not really." I can tell Clare is still uncomfortable by my presence, so I don't try to persuade or push her into dancing. I just let her do what she wants.

...

Ten minutes later, Clare and I are both still sitting in our seats, texting the night a way. My vision picks up a girl walking up to our table. I look up. The girl has long and curly red hair and wears dark blue Aloha dress that resembles my shirt a little. "Hi," she peeps, waving to Clare and I.

I wave back and Clare looks up from her phone and skims the girl. "Hi," she replies.

"Are you two together - like dating?" the red-haired girl blurts, Clare and I exchange looks, and before we can answer or even respond, the girl looks at me and asks, "Would you like to dance?"

"Did this girl just really ask me to dance," I ask myself. I glance worriedly over Clare. She's bites her lip, then nods. "You go ahead, Eli," she encourages with a small smile on her face, shooing me away.

The red-head grins, then yanks me up to dance with her. As she leads me to the dance floor, I'm looking back at Clare who appears to be unaffected by just happened. I mean, I still like her, and it hurts that she just sent me off to dance with a total stranger, when she probably knows I'd rather not.

"Hi, my name is Jessica," The girl introduces herself to me.

"Eli." I state.

We finally settle in a spot and begin dancing to the beat of the tropical sounding music playing. I'm trying my best to get comfortable dancing with Jessica, but I'm not trying to touch her. This is going to be hard

After about fifteen minutes of silent dancing and Jessica's body dangerously close to coming in contact with my private area, Jessica speaks. "Sorry about pulling you away from your sister," she apologizes, "now she must be all lonely over there by herself."

"She's not my sister." I respond.

"Cousin?"

I shake my head. "No."

Jessica grins, then leans in forward, making me believe she's going to kiss me, but her direction goes toward my ear and lustfully whispers into it, "Well if that girl's not your sister, cousin, or girlfriend, then maybe you could come to my room - we could talk, or do other things. Whatever you like."

She backs away from my ear and stares me down lustfully, biting down on her bottom lip. I glance over to Clare who's still sitting down, texting, unaware of the world around her - unaware of what was happening over here -, then I look back over to Jessica and gulp. Jessica may have been the cutest ginger woman I had ever laid eyes on - well maybe behind Nicole Kiddman and Bryce Dallas Howard - but I was not just going to have sex with her. I haven't even known her for 20 minutes (not like that's stopped me before from hooking up with other girls I've only known for 20 minutes)!

But truthfully, I couldn't do that to Clare, I was _still _her pretend boyfriend for the week. Plus, I'm actually still taken by Julia, so I can't do that to her with some random chick.

"I-I," I start to say, becoming jittery. I take a deep and internal breath, calming myself. I cut off my sentence and start fresh. I smirk at her, "As tempting as that offer is, I actually am with that girl over there; she's my girlfriend."

Jessica's mouth forms a small "o" shape. "Oh my," she blushes, "I am so sorry, I didn't - oh I'm really sorry for hitting on you like that in front of your girlfriend. But if you two are dating, then why would she let me dance with you?"

I shrug and half-lie, "She doesn't really like to dance, and she knew I wanted to, so she just allowed me to dance with you. I don't think she knew you'd... ask me to... mm, you know."

"I really am sorry about that, Eli."

"Yeah, it's okay. But if you don't mind, I'm going to go off to use to restroom."

She nods, "Okay, I'm going to the bar for something to drink. And I really am sorry 'bout that." I nod then we both weave through the dancing couples. Her, in search of the bar, and me, on my way to the nearest bathroom.

**(Clare's POV)**

I stare down at my phone, playing _Fun Run_, and daring myself no to look up to see how much Eli and that chick are having on the dance floor. God, I'm so stupid! I had the chance to tell Eli and I blew it, then now, I just let him run off with some other girl and acted as if I thought it was a good idea for him to dance with her.

On the inside, I was furious that that girl even had the guts to come up to our table and ask such a question. I know he and I did appear to be a couple due to our lack of interact, but we were sitting right next to each other and that's good enough reason to think we are dating. But I really shouldn't have let him leave; it was my own stupid fault.

As I continue to play my game and not look up, my game is interrupted by a phone call from Adam. My mouth forms a small smile, because I haven't talked to him in day, but then I become a bit worried, wondering if he's calling me to discuss the Eli matter.

I sigh and answer the phone. "Hello."

_"WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBLEM, CLARE?!" Adam shouts over the phone._

Instantly figuring out what he is blabbing about, I say, "I really don't know. I'm acting stupid right now."

_"Yes, yes you are," Adam agrees. "Listen Clare, Eli's a great guy and you know that. He wants to be with you badly so why wont you at least give him a chance. Why did you turn him down?"_

"Technically," I start softly, "I never did give him an answer, I just left."

_"Why?"_

"I don't know, I was confused and felt awkward about everything. It was weird because I didn't know Eli felt that way about me..."

_"He does, and I could always tell he did like you, but never really knew until yesterday when he told me. Do you like him, too, or not?" _

"I don't know, maybe..." I answer shyly. "When I left, I went walking, and thinking, and over the time I was gone, I sort of realized I did feel something, for Eli. So when I went back to the room, I was preparing myself to tell him, but when he saw me, he immediately apologized to me and said that we should be friends. I-I was going to tell him, but I choked."

_Adam sighs, "Well how about you go tell him now!"_

I shake my head. "I can't right now, he's dancing," I explain, then look up in the direction I had seen Eli and the girl go to dance. "Oh no," I peep. My heart drops when I notice that the two aren't there anymore. Had she and he left? If so, where'd they do?

_"'Oh no' what, Clare?" Adam questions._

"I-I had left Eli dance with this other girl besides me and now they're both gone."

_"What?!"_

"D-do you think that...he and she...?"

_"I don't know, Clare, but I suggest you go find him and tell him - and quick before he does something he'll later regret."_

"Uh, okay Adam, I'm going to look for him right now." I announce, rising up from my seat.

_"Good. And Clare, please find him before-"_

I interrupt him. "I will," I promise.

_"Okay."_

"Yeah, Bye Adam."

_"Bye."_

I hang up the phone and take off, hoping find Eli before it's too late and he's already made it to the red-haired girl's hotel room.

...

**(Eli's POV)**

I finish taking a piss and I walk over to the sink in the bathroom. I wash my hands, then leave out the bathroom. Heading back to the pool area where the luau was taking place, I make it about twelve steps before a random door swings open, and a hand pulls me inside the room that the door lead to, and the door shuts.

* * *

**A/N: *drinks apple juice* So what did y'all think? Sucky, right? I know.**

**Well if you didn't understand the last part, someone has dragged Eli into a room. *wiggles eyebrows* **

**Does anyone know who I'm talking about...?**

**REVIEW, it means the world to me!**

**And again, I love you all!**

**-MFFITS**


	14. Luaus & Love pt2

**A/N: I'M SO SO SORRY!**

**Here's the thing, like the first 3 weeks of my absence, it wasnt writer's block that kept me from updating this story, but it was PURE laziness. I was always around the computer, but I would never have any determination or sit down on the computer and type (if only I could write on paper and it would automatically transfer to fanfic). + I have school :P**

**Oh and the other half week of my absence, I was actually ready to type, but seriously, I was sick and refused to take medicine at first and when I didn't, I felt awful. :( yes it was bad - and IDK if I'm just being overdramatic but I felt as if I was gonna die. BUT NOW its Monday, I didn't go to school and yesterday night I took medicine, so I felt good enough to type. So I FINISHED THIS CHAPTER.**

**So with school getting more work filled and built-in laziness traits, it will be hard to post new chapters steadily and as quick as I have been in the PAAAST, I will try to get a chapter up when I can. Just understand, crap happens and that I'm a really slow typeR...**

**SO THE CHAPTER. The cliffhanger thing from last chapter was... m. And I asked for you guys to guess who pulled Eli in. That wasn't really a fair question considering I changed who I wanted to pull Eli in the closet to be. IDK. Not my fav chapter. Let me shut up. Just read.**

* * *

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN - LUAUS & LOVE PT2**

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

After I get off of the phone with Adam, I make it my mission to find Eli before it's too late. I quickly kick my heels against the floor, pushing my chair back. Once out far enough, I rise from my chair. Standing up, I catch a glimpse of the only exit/entrance that I am aware of that takes you back inside the hotel; it is directly across from me.

I would dart straight over to it, but in between me and that door is the dance floor, which is flooded by a thick crowd of dancing guests. I don't want to get delayed going through that ruckus, so I do what any _smart _person would do, I go around, avoiding having to get through that chaos.

I begin going around, and it seems to have been a more time-saving strategy, because it only takes me about a minute or less. As I'm walking toward the exit, I have to pass the bar. Walking by it, I cease my speed walking at the sight of a familiar looking red-head in a blue Aloha dress; it was the red-haired girl I had allowed Eli to dance with earlier - the one who had expected him to be making out with in an elevator on the way up to her suite right now.

Seeing her at the bar alone - and without Eli - lifts the heavy weight of worry off of my chest. Knowing that she and Eli and her weren't on the verge of having sex right now has really calmed my fidgeting nerves.

I exhale softly, then saunter over to the red-head, hoping that she could point me in the possible direction of where Eli had run off to. I approach her, then apply three light taps to her shoulder and smile, "Hey."

The girl turns around, the smile she wore on her face before she had seen me fades as soon as she catches sight of my face. An expression of nervousness comes upon her face and I hear it in her voice as she stutters, "Oh, uh, h-hi."

I furrow my brows slightly at her, clueless as to the reason why she was being so jittery around me. "Hey," I repeat, adding another smile to the end, then ask, "Have you seen Eli, the guy I had let you dance with earlier? I need to talk to him. Do you know where he might've went?"

"He said he had to go use the bathroom."

"Okay, thank you."

Im ready to turn and leave the girl at the bar and head to the men's restroom, but stop when she calls out, "Hey, um, girl." I glance back. I know she's talking to me even though, she didn't use my name - mostly because I had not given her my name.

When I turn back, the red-head continues to speak as she sees she has caught my attention again. "Aye, um,"

"Clare." I state.

"Oh, Clare. Hey, I'm sorry for basically _dragging _your boyfriend out to dance with me; I really didn't know you two were together. I shouldn't have assumed-"

I interrupt her apology. "It's okay," I say, waving it off, "no need to apologize, it's fine."

"Okay, well I need to go find him now."

With saying that, I abandon the girl and try to complete the rest of my journey to the door. My hand is on the handle of one of the two double doors when I hear another voice call out to me. But this time, the voice is one I have always been able to distinguish my entire life; Darcy's. "Clare," Darcy hollers, "wait up!"

I stop and sigh, annoyed by the fact that I am getting held up when I could be getting held by Eli. I rotate around to see Darce trotting over to me. "What Darcy?" I question, but she doesn't answer me. She comes closer to me and wraps her arms around, hugging me tightly.

"Clare are you okay?" She asks, letting me go and looking me in my eyes as if she's sad for me. "I didn't know you and Eli were fighting."

"We're not." I deny. "Why would you think that?"

"Peter told me. He and I were dancing and I looked over and saw that Eli was dancing with some other girl, some red-head that wasnt you. I showed Peter and he got so pissed - I did too, but not as pissed as he. He told me that earlier at breakfast, he had noticed that you and he were a bit..._distant_." The way she said "distant" sounded a bit unsure. She continues, "And I seen it too, just now when we were at the table - and actually the whole night. You two havent even touched really or kissed and at the table when we all go up to dance, I couldn't help but notice you two didn't get up. And then I saw him dancing with a different girl."

"Everything is fine Darce. I really didn't feel like dancing and I didn't feel like it was fair of me to let Eli suffer through the boredom because of me. The girl had just came up and asked him to dance; he didn't want to, but I told him to go ahead. He and she danced and he went to the bathroom. I just saw the girl at the bar and she told me that's where he went."

"Oh," Darcy responds, her mouth making a subtle "o" shape.

I nod, "Yeah. So where's Peter?"

"We say _'that girl'_ whisper in his ear and he and her leave the dance floor, and he thought Eli and the girl were going to mess around, so he went to find Jake. I guess they were gonna track Eli and that girl down."

"Wait, she whispered in his ear."

"Yeah and they had left through the crowd so we thought that they were gonna hook up, but I guess not since you saw her at the bar...You should go find Eli quick before Peter and Jake end up kicking his ass."

The unpleasant thought of Eli getting pumbled by Jake and Peter flashes through my mind. Peter and Jake aren't really violent, but my vision comes out to be more graphic and gory as the scene would probably be if it were to really happen. I bite my lip as I say, "I should go find him before they do."

"Yeah, that'd be a good idea."

I nod yet again then start out the door, but before I do, I catch a glimpse of the dance floor and spot Vivian dancing awfully close with some blonde haired guy with glasses and an unbuttoned green and blue Aloha shirt. I twist my lips. "Jake and Peter should stop worrying about Eli's fidelity," I lazily point over to Vivian. "And start questioning Vivian's."

...

**(Eli's POV)**

The door shuts and a pair rough hands toss me down to sit upon a small stool. It's pitch black in the room I was yanked into except for the thin line of light I can see at the bottom of the door coming from the other side. I'm assuming that I've been dragged into a janitor's closet or something, because it just smells like chemicals in here. But even though I know that, I am still clueless as to who pulled me in here.

Was it Jessica. Maybe she...? Nah, it can't be her. I don't believe she'd go to these measures.

Maybe its Clare? If so, why would she pull me in here? And why were her hands so rough?!

It could be Vivian, but I don't think she's that persistent in getting to me; pulling me in a dark closet and trying to seduce me, doesn't seem like something she'd do. But I don't know her that well, so it _could _be something she'd do.

Suddenly, the lights flicker on and I jump a little when I notice two hard faces looking at me, Peter and Jake . Peter is standing right in front of me, staring at me intensely, while Jake is still standing by the light switch, scowling at me.

I become immensely nervous, wondering, "_Why did they drag me in here? What did I do wrong? Why do they look like they want to murder me?"_ All of these questions and many more over flood my brain until Peter speaks and snaps me out of my own panicky thought.

"You remember our agreement, right," Peter reminds me and I nod. "We had an understanding and you're already fucking up!" Peter accuses, raising his voice.

I furrow my brows at Peter and squint my eyes at him. I don't know why he's yelling at me; what did I do wrong? "How am I fucking up? W-what did I do?"

I eye and hear Jake lock the door.

Oh boy, they're going to kick my ass...

Peter sternly points his finger at me and seethes, "I saw that you and Clare were in a fight earlier at breakfast, and-and Jake told me that _you _told _him _that _you _were gonna fix it. But running off and dancing with some slut doesn't look like fixing it! And she was fucking whispering in your ear and shit - what the fuck was that?! W-were you gonna go off and sleep with her! Cause Eli if you cannot make my sister happy - let alone commit to her -, I think it's best that you just leave her alone. Leave her be and then you can do whatever and whoever you want!"

"It not like that!" I shoot. "I never intended to make Clare mad earlier, but it doest matter anymore because we _did _ make up and were fine now. And as for Jessica," Both of them raise their eyebrows at me at the mention of the unfamiliar name. "The girl I was dancing with," I tell him. "As for her, I don't know her, but she asked me to dance and Clare pushed me onward to do it, so I did - I danced. But yeah she did whisper in my ear for me to go with her, but I turned her down."

Peter and Jake simultaneously scoff, not believing me, I guess. "Eli, I honestly thought we could become good friends or somethin' while on this trip," Jake admits, walking up beside Peter, "but I don't think so anymore; not if you're just gonna use my sister for sex, then hook up with other girls, too."

I'm baffled by his words. "I am not a player," I inform him softly, "I'd never do such a thing to Clare, or any girl for that matter." Another double scoff sounds and I become agitated that they do not see me as a trustworthy figure and only as a liar and potential cheater.

"I don't believe you," Peter bluntly states. "And I would kick your ass right now, but I can't - that'd just ruin the vacation."

"Peter, I'm not lying," I explain. "Clare really did urge me to dance with that girl, and as for sex, I did say 'no' to her." I glance over to Jake. "And using Clare for sex? No, I wouldn't do that. Plus, she and I havent even had sex -"

Peter interrupts me. "So if you're not getting any from her, then you'll take what you can get?"

I put my hand on my head and I exhale in frustration. "Did you guys hear anything I just said? Anything I said the other day, too?! I'm not interested in any other girls, therefore, I deny their suggestions and offers. Clare's special, I don't wanna hurt her-"

My words are cut off by my cellphone's ringtone coming from my pocket.I ignore Peter and Jake and wrench my cellphone out of my pocket. Whoever this is, is my savior, guardian, hero, ticket out of this closet!

The person calling is Clare.

"Who is it?" Jake inquires roughly, and I answer him by flashing my screen in his direction.

I answer the phone. "Hello."

_"Hey Eli. Where are you?" Clare asks. "That girl told me you went to the bathroom, but I went there and had some guy check and he said it was empty."_

"Oh, uh, um," I hesitate to answer her question. I look up at my persicutors and Peter is still scowling at me. I twist my lips and lie, "Yeah, I went to the bathroom, then I went back to the hotel room."

_"Wait, why did you go back to the room? The luaus not even over yet?"_

"Oh, because I...I didn't really feel good so I went back up there to lay down and rest."

_"Oh okay, well I need to talk to you so I'm headed up there."_

"Okay bye."

_"Bye."_

Clare hangs up on me and I smirk at both Peter and Jake. "Well I must be going now. M'lady says she needs to speak to me." I say teasingly, rising up from the stool.

"Hopefully, if she's noticed what we have, it's probably to break up with you." Peter comments wickedly.

"Doubt that," I state, then internally add, _"She can't actually 'break up' with me, because were not really dating."_ The thought makes me laugh a bit, but then grimace, thinking about how she had turned me down though.

Still standing in front of me, blocking my path, are Jake and Peter. "Excuse me," I say politely as I brush passed them. I go to the door, unlock it, and exit the closet, leaving the two of them behind, probably even more pissed at me than before.

...

**(Clare's POV)**

I sit nervously on the bed. Eli was not here like he had claimed to be; I don't know why but I feared that he was off doing God-knows-what with another girl already, but I wanted to tell him badly, tell him that I wanted to be with him too.

I have been mentally debating how I should tell him, what exactly should I say to him. Should I just skip the words and the long confession and just kiss him, hoping that he'll know what that means even though I never verbally said anything.

I've sat on the bed several times then stood up several times. I was deciding if I wanted myself to be sitting when I tell him or standing up. There was problems with both actions.

If I was on the bed and told him, it would make me seem too inviting, so I stand. But after many minutes of waiting, I thought it would be awkward for me to be standing and awaiting his arrival.

So disregarding the unwanted invitation the action would bring, I just sat back down. But to make it less "inviting", I turned on the television and made it casual.

The tv turns on and _The Lion King _fades in to my view. I smile and watch.

suddenly, I hear the door being unlocked and opening. I grin slightly at Eli's faces as I see it come into view. I kick my feet off the edge of the bed and face his direction.

Eli shuts the door and looks over at me. "Thank. You," He says happily, sliding off his shoes. I don't know why he's thanking me but I don't ask, because he continues to speak.

"Sorry for lying about being here," Eli apologizes. "I was actually leaving the restroom, about to go back to the luau, when I was snatched into the janitor's closet." I raise my eyebrows in shock. "It was Jake and Peter, they were interrogating me, yet again."

"Again?" I question.

"Yeah, they did persecuted me in the elevator the other day, too, then again just now. They said they saw me dancing with Jessica, that girl."

I bite my lip and say, "I shouldn't have been so quick to pawn you off to dance with that girl."

"Then why did you do it?" Eli asks, walking over to the dresser and opening one of the drawers

I shrug, then I'm about to begin to tell him the reason why, but he cuts me off. "So are we going back to the luau?" Eli asks, "Or are we gonna stay here and watch _Lion King -_ cause I'm all for _Lion King._"

I smile at Eli, remembering that his humor is one of the many things I liked about him. He smiles back at me.

_His smile_: another thing I liked. So bright, so perfect, so contagious.

I need to tell him.

"Eli," I peep, "I'm sorry for being so cold to you the other day, I guess I was confused by the whole thing. I felt awkward by the entire situation, and when I figured out that you liked me, I...I,"

"Flipped out," Eli finishes, laughing a little. "But its okay - were okay right?"

I bite my lip again, hesitate to speak, then finally blurt, "Eli, I changed my mind."

He gives me an odd look and says, "Excuse me?"

I sigh, "I said I've changed my mind...about you...about us... Unless it's too late and you changed your mind about it already and you don't wanna break up with Julia anymore, then I completely understand and you can just forget everything I just said just now." My words come out nervously fast, and Eli continues to stare at me as if he's in shock.

"What made you change your mind?"

"Your speech," I rejoin. "and-and I was going to tell you I changed my mind earlier, but when I came back, you cut me off and insisted on us being friends."

"You should've cut _me _off and told me."

"I-I tried. I was going to but-"

Without warning, Eli moves closer to me, scoops my cheeks into his hands and delivers, yet another, passionate kiss to my lips. After a few seconds, he discontinues the kiss, but his hands remain on my face. "I've always wanted to kiss you," he admits sweetly, then starts the kiss back up again. Soon enough, our tongues find each other during the open-mouthed kiss, doing a dance with each other, and his hands leavee my face and place themselves upon the sides of my waist.

Somehow the amount of force he was putting forth on the kiss didn't match mine, it over powered my stance. I lose my balance, falling back onto the bed. Eli falls on top, on fours, one of his knees is placed in between my thighs and the other knee is on the opposite side of my left thigh, and we continue kissing.

Eli kisses me with such fervor, that my whole body begins tingling. When his kiss abandons my lips and trails to my neck, I get a feeling. A feeling I remember having during every make out session I've ever had. A feeling of want, need, willingness. Or you can just call it horniness...

In the past, I have been able to turn down Jason and Jackson's attempt somehow. But now that it's Eli causing this feeling, I wonder if I can contain myself. I don't think I can do this.

As Eli kisses my neck, I let out an instinctive moan.

**(Eli's POV)**

When I hear Clare release a moan, I smirk against her neck. I know this is a good sign so I don't even bother to stop. Becoming uncontrollably turned on right now, I want to see her naked now. My lips leave her neck and revert back to her lips, while my hand creeps up to the back of her neck and find the knot that her dress straps are tied into. I slowly loosen them. Once untied, I try to lower them down.

I lift my head away from Clare's and look down, I move the straps down more, and I'm almost there, then Clare realizes what's going on and she panickingly holds her straps before she's exposed.

"Whats the matter?" I ask.

"Julia," Clare pipes, "W-what about Julia?"

I exhale, annoyed by the name and how she's the reason Clare isn't comfortable right now. "For you, I said I'd break up with her." I sit up and reach into my pocket. I find Julia's contact in my inbox and break up with her through a brief and error-filled text message. I'm so eager that I don't notice the mistakes I made through the text. The text that is probably gonna make me seem like an asshole when read.

**Eli: I'm sorey bt I wanna brealup**

I toss my phone down onto the floor and I lean down closer to Clare and smile, "Done."

Still holding her straps, Clare bites her lip. I smirk, then return to kissing her. After a few seconds, she gently pushes me back and questions, "Uh, condom?"

"Oh," I say, kinda caught off guard, forgetting that we needed one. "I don't have one; I-I didn't think I'd need one on this trip. I didn't expect... I'll run down to the ABC store and get some. Wait here."

I'm about to get up and off the bed, but Clare grips my arm. "No." she yelps.

When she says no, I assume she's just as eager as I am and that she is using birth control. "Oh, you're on the pill. Cool."

She shakes her head and slowly says, "No..."

"So what am I supposed to do? Pull out?"

"No," Clare shrieks and shakes her head. "Eli, I don't know if I can do this..."

"Clare, are you a virgin?"

She bites her lip (still cute). "No... No I'm not, but I don't know if I'll be able to... I mean, we just agreed on this, but I don't know. I'm just uncomfortable and unsure if I can allow myself to do this with you now." She leans up and quickly reties her straps. "I'm sorry Eli. Maybe we can just pretend this-"

I grab her hand and cut her off . "No. It okay Clare, I can wait whatever amount of time it takes - short or long - untill you do feel comfortable. I wont force you to do anything you don't want to. I still want to be your boyfriend and as long as I know you're mine and I get to at least kiss you, I'll be fine."

She smiles shyly and I smirk.

* * *

**A/N: ANOTHER PROBLEM ALERT. I actually dont know what I want to happen in the story for the rest of the vacation. Soooo, PLEASE PROVIDE SUGGESTIONS for events that happen in the next chapter for the next day of the story.**

**No suggestions = Longer wait.**

**So yeah, review and suggest!**

**Sincerely the horrible, procrastinating writer of this story,**

**- MFFITS :(**

**OH, AND 100 FOLLOWS, I ALMOST CRIED, THANK YOU GUYS**


End file.
